Boy Next Door
by Greenybean
Summary: I'm nobody special. I doubt anybody knows of my existence at all; which I'm totally fine with. I stick with my own group of friends, maintain my grades, and keep to myself. The only problem? My neighbor, and best friend Soul Evans, is the complete opposite. Contains language
1. Chapter 1

Although everyone complains about homework, I think it's agreeable to say; it's so fucking boring when you don't have

any.

I'd finished all of my homework during lunch, thinking I'd benefit from it later. But now I sat at my desk, googling random things to try and pass the time. I'd tried texting my friends, but none of them had answered.

I sigh and close my laptop, looking around the room for something else to do. I walk over to my large bookshelf and shut my eyes. I thrust my hand forward and wrap it around a book spine. I yank it back and observe what I'd picked: "To Kill A Mockingbird." I smile to myself in satisfaction. I'd already read every book on my shelf, but this was probably one of my favorites to reread. I turn the lights off in my room and flick on the lamps, setting a comfortable mood. I flop on my bed and open to page one.

I focus on the book, drinking in every word written. As I scan the top of the next page, my eyes make contact with the window on the opposite wall. Through it, I can see his room. The lights were on, giving me a better image of it. Not like I really needed one; I'd seen it one hundred times.

The red electric guitar hung on a rack next to the door, and the foot of his bed jutted out closer to the window. I see his computer monitor and desk on the far wall, knowing there was a stack of CDs to the left of the desk and on the right was his closet. I put the book down and watch the window, knowing he'd be back any moment. Just as I expected, the door slammed open and he stepped into his room.

A bag was hoisted on his broad shoulder. He threw it on the ground and face planted onto his bed. I giggle and pull out my phone.

 _A: Rough day? I hit send and wait a moment._

 _S: You're so creepy, always watching_

 _A: Well turn your lights off then_

 _S: You turn yours on. Even the playing field_

 _A: How bout I not?_

 _S: Come over_

 _A: It's 9 o'clock though_

 _S: You come here or I'll go there. I need homework help_

 _A: Fine, be right over_

 _S: Thank you ?_

I sigh and stand, slipping my feet into some flip flops. I grab my backpack and sling it on my back, opening the door. I jog down the stairs.

"I'm running across the street to help Soul with homework." I call.

"Not too late Allie, you have school tomorrow!" My mom responded from the den. I open the front door and slip out.

I look both ways before crossing the street, an old habit that always stuck with me. I cross and walk up the path to his house. It was practically identical to mine; the only difference being mine was blue and his was tan. Although there isn't much to expect from a townhouse neighborhood; they're notorious for looking the same.

I'd just reached the porch when the door was opened. He stood before me in a tank top and shorts.

"I thank God everyday that I live next door to you, Allie." He said, walking towards the stairs. I laugh and shut the door, following him.

"Where's your mom?" I ask, sitting on the edge of his bed and pulling out my binders.

"Work. Late shift today."

"Gotcha. So what homework help do you need?" He sits down in his wheelie chair and rolls over towards me, pulling papers out of his messy binder.

"Uh... This." He said, holding the paper out. I examine it, recognizing our English homework.

"What about it?"

"Can I have the answers?" He asks. I close my binder and give him an evil eye. He sighs and clasps his hands together.

"Allie, please? Hear me out. I had lacrosse today."

"Uh huh."

"Until 7:30 at night. I was _starving_ , Allie. Starving."

"You poor thing."

"I knew my mom wasn't home to provide me with food, so I grabbed some. I literally just got home and I still have a shit ton of homework to do. And it would be so cool if you would just let me copy those reading questions. They're too time consuming and time is something I don't have." He explains. I consider for a moment, raising an eyebrow at him. He gives me puppy dog eyes, making me grin.

"Fine, Soul. Take the damn questions." I said, throwing them at his chest. He catches it and grins, his oddly sharp teeth shining.

"Thank you so, so, SO much." He said, copying my homework. I sigh and gaze out the window, seeing my own reflecting back.

It was odd how perfectly our houses lined up so that we could see through each other's windows. I don't even like to think about what it would've been like if someone other than Soul lived in this room. Constantly watching me.

"When's your next lacrosse game?" I ask. Soul hands back my paper and stuffs his back into the catastrophe he calls a binder.

"Umm... Friday? Yeah, Friday. You should totally come."

"Maybe." I said. He gave me a look, and I shrugged. I didn't have to explain my hesitation to Soul; he knew that I wanted to go but my friends probably wouldn't want to. Introverts.

"I should probably get home, my mom will be upset if I stay out too late."

"Is she ever going to extend your curfew past 10?"

"I don't need to be out much later than 10 on a school night though." Soul shook his head and fake coughed, making the word "nerd" very apparent. I roll my eyes as he pokes my arm.

"Are you going to be okay staying here by yourself? When is your mom due home?" I ask, standing up.

"I'm not sure, but I'll be fine. I'm a big boy you know."

"You don't act it." I said. He laughs and follows me out of his room and to the door.

"Text me the minute you get home." He said. I scoff and open the door, walking onto the porch.

"Good night Soul." I call, walking down the pathway.

"Night! See you in the morning!" And with that, the door closed.

I'd gotten home and got ready for bed. I walk into my room, tying my long brown hair in a braid, and check my phone. I sigh when I see I have 11 new texts from Soul.

 _S: are you home?_

 _Did you make it?_

 _Allie?_

 _I told you to text me when you got home!_

 _How uncool_

 _Did you get mowed down in the street?!_

 _Well I just checked the street and there are no corpses_

 _Tomorrow on the way to school I'm teaching you to be thoughtful_

 _If you don't answer I'm going to come over and check you_

 _Don't make me do it, I just got into the most comfortable position_

 _GIVE ME A SIGN OF LIFE!_

 _A: I'm home_

 _S: jeez! What took you so long?_

 _A: Sorry, I left my phone in my room_

 _S: Don't forget next time. Night ?_

I plug my phone into the charger, glancing out the window. Soul was seated at his desk, typing something on his computer. I climb in bed and after tossing and turning I finally fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day was windy and cloudy. I considered running back into the house and grabbing a jacket, but decided against it. I was standing in Soul's driveway next to his car, waiting for him to meet me.

I always teased him about how he took longer to get ready than I did, and I was a girl. He'd always laugh and motion towards his face, remarking that "this" didn't happen naturally.

The longer I stood out there, the colder I got.

"Goddammit Soul." I mutter to myself, shifting my weight from leg to leg in an effort to warm up. Just as I was about to turn and run for home to get a coat, the door opened. Soul walked out, locking it behind him.

He had on his yellow and black hoodie, his red pants, and converse.

"Good morning." I said, teeth chattering. He looks at my huddled position, and holds up a finger.

"I'll be right back." He said, quickly unlocking the door and dashing back into the house. I groan and lean against the car door, knowing by the time he got back I'd probably have hypothermia.

He ran out of the door, a large sweatshirt in his hands. He locked his door for the second time, and unlocked the car. I threw open the door and sat in the passenger seat, grateful to be out of the wind. Soul slid into the driver's seat, tossing the sweatshirt onto my lap.

"Thank you." I said, slipping it on over my blue t-shirt.

"Anytime." He responds.

He put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. Turning, he roared down the street and towards the school.

"I literally went to bed at 3 am. I got 3 hours of sleep." He said.

"Should you be driving?!"

"Yeah I'm good, just in desperate need of more coffee." He pulled into a Starbucks parking lot, parking crookedly.

"Want anything?" He asks, sliding out of the car.

"No, thanks though." I said. He nods and closes the door. I sit comfortably in the seat, feeling my body warm up from the sweatshirt. The sweatshirt smells like Soul; soap, cologne, and sweat. I inhale deeply, the scent comforting.

I pull out my phone and scroll through social media, waiting for Soul to get back. I glance in the rear view mirror and see him walking out the door holding two coffee cups. I groan and reach over, opening the door for him.

"I said I didn't want anything, Soul." I said, crossing my arms.

He places the coffees in the cup holders and shrugs. "I know, but I would've looked like an ass if only I got something. And looking like an ass is not cool." He explains. I sigh dramatically, earning a grin from Soul.

We make pleasant conversation the rest of the way to school. He pulled into his parking spot at the school. We get out of the car, and Soul grabs his bag from the back and walks over to where I'm standing. We walk to the crosswalk that leads to the forum in the front of the building. I sigh quietly, knowing once we cross the street that I will separate from Soul for the day.

We walk into the forum, and on cue I hear yelling.

"SOUL!" I look over and see Black Star.

His name wasn't really Black Star, but when he was a kid he used to draw stars in black sharpie on his arm. Ever since, the name has stuck.

His group sat on the benches of the forum, laughing annoyingly. Soul smiles and waves, turning towards me.

"You wanna come hang out with us?"

"Do I ever want to?" He sighs.

"I know, just wanted to ask." I smile slightly, picking at my nails.

"I'll see you in English?" He asks hopefully. I look up at him and grin.

"Of course." He reciprocates the smile, and runs off to join his friends.

I climb the stairs to my first period, finding my group of friends sitting huddled around a table. I walk to the far side of the table, next to my closest friend Tsubaki.

"Hey." She whispers, smiling at me. I smile back and take the chair down, listening to Kid and Liz's conversation.

"No! Rowlet is the best starter, it has the crispest design!" Kid argues.

"That's a dumb reason, it looks like it has no clue what it's doing. Litten at least looks slick and smart."

"It's also going to be fire/ground, so watch my water attacks destroy you."

"Kid, let's be real here. Who always wins our battles?" Liz teases. Kid rolls his eyes and sits back, and Liz giggles.

"They remind me of my little brother; always talking about Pokémon." Tsubaki said. I laugh and shrug.

I'd been friends with this group of kids since elementary school. It used to be even larger, but that was before cliques existed and people left. People like Patty, Liz's little sister, Black Star, and even Soul used to be in this group. The entrance into middle school took Patty and Black Star into the popular crowd, leaving our group broken. Soul always remained part of both groups, but because of his friendship with Black Star, he spent more time with the popular crowd. He tends to come over when everyone is at my house, still wanting to remain friendly with this group, but his attendance is more towards the popular crowd.

"Nice sweatshirt." Tsubaki said, tugging on the sleeve. I glance down at it, realizing I still had Soul's sweatshirt on. The design on the front was two lacrosse sticks together, with the words "DCPA Lacrosse" on the front.

"Did you not know I play lacrosse?" I ask, grinning. Tsubaki laughs, and points toward the back.

"Is your last name Evans now?" She asks.

My eyes widen and I take the sweatshirt off, the cold air from the air conditioner blowing onto my now exposed arms. Tsubaki looks shocked as I place it on my lap.

"You didn't have to take it off!"

"No, it's better I do. The last thing I need is people seeing me wearing _the_ Soul Evans sweatshirt."

"What's wrong with that?" I shake my head, and Tsubaki sits back in her seat.

Conversation died down around the table, giving me an opportunity to speak.

"Would any of you be interested in going to the lacrosse game on Friday?" I ask. Looks were exchanged around the table, making my heart sink.

"Frankly no, I have no interest in filthy, manhandling sports and being surrounded by sweaty people." Kid said, fixing his hair. I roll my eyes; such a neat freak.

"If you guys will be there, I'll stay. Patty is going, so I was giving her a ride anyway." Liz said.

"I'll double check with my parents and make sure they don't need me." Tsubaki said, smiling. I couldn't believe how well this was turning out! I wondered what the sudden change of heart was.

"Crona? What about you?" I ask. Crona jumps slightly, her eyes wide.

"I-I guess if everyone else i-is going, I hope it'll be o-okay if I come." She stutters.

Soul was actually the first person to meet Crona. She'd been a new student in ninth grade, and didn't talk to anyone. She was deathly shy, and to try and get her to open up, our teacher sat her next to Soul. Soul acted towards her like he would anyone else; fun and kind. He knew she wouldn't fair well with his friends due to her quiet nature, so he introduced me to her. Ever since, she's stuck around us, and I really enjoy her company.

I smile warmly at her, and she grins nervously back.

"I'm glad you're coming, Crona. Now, we just need to convince Kid t-"

"Absolutely not."

"Come on, Kid! Everyone else is going!" Liz exclaims.

"No! I refuse." He said, crossing his arms and sticking his face in the air. I shake my head, wishing he could just agree with us.

"Kid, we never go out and have fun. We always end up at someone's house, playing video games. This could be a fun time." Tsubaki said quietly. Kid's face softened, and I knew he was now at least considering it. He sighed and rolled his eyes, shrugging.

"Fine. If _everyone_ here would prefer to go to a lacrosse game of all things, I guess I'll go." We cheer, and Kid smiles slightly.

"Good morning, you guys." Ms. Mjolnir said, walking into the room with her bag. Our history teacher smiled warmly at us, tending to always have a soft spot in her heart for our group.

"Good morning." We reply. We separate and move to our seats, awaiting class to begin.

 **AN: Hey there! I put an authors note at the beginning of the first chapter, but for some reason it didn't save :(**

 **This is somewhat of an OOC story. The characters from the original Soul Eater manga and anime are somewhat like how they're originally written, but I put my own little tweaks in as well.**

 **I really hope this story is as enjoyable to read as it is to write!**

 **~Greenybean**


	3. Chapter 3

"I heard we have a sub in Mifune's class." Tsubaki said as we walk into the room. Sure enough, an old man sat at the desk, reading a book. I sigh and sit in my seat, Tsubaki sliding in next to me.

Our English teacher preferred us to call him by his first name rather than last. He felt it developed a closer relationship with his students. Regardless, I wasn't too sure of his last name, so I had to go with what I had.

"I hate when we have a sub. The day goes by so much longer." I complain.

"I agree, especially in English. Mifune leaves us the dumbest and easiest assignments. It's like he wants us to be bored out of our minds for an hour and a half." She agrees.

I begin pulling my supplies out of my bag, and I felt a bop on my head. I turn and see Soul walking to his seat next to Black Star. He winks at me, and I roll my eyes. Standing next to Black Star was a girl I'd never seen before, making my eyebrows furrow.

"Alright, good morning everyone. Mr. Mifune had an appointment today and won't be coming in. Your assignment is on the board... Please no loud talk-" The sub couldn't even be heard over the loud commotion that took over the classroom. He throws his hands up exasperatedly, and sits back in his chair. I give him a look of sympathy.

I start reading the section of the book we were supposed to when a hand closes it. I sigh and look up, my blue eyes meeting Soul's red ones.

Soul's eye color had always remained a mystery to me. I couldn't ever tell if Soul's eyes were a light brown, or they truly were red. Either way, it contrasted well with his pale blonde, almost white, hair.

"You aren't actually _doing_ the assignment, are you?" He asks.

"Might as well, I don't want to just sit here for the entire class period."

"I'll let you get back to your work, but first I want to introduce you and Tsubaki to somebody." Tsubaki's head perked up at the mention of her name. Soul smiled at her, and turned back towards where he once sat.

"Maka!" He called. The girl whom I hadn't recognized looked over at us. She stood and walked over, standing next to Soul.

"Tsubaki, Allie, this is Maka. She's new." The girl had light straight blonde hair in pigtails. She had large green eyes on her pretty face. She was small in stature, but stood proudly. She smiled widely, her teeth straight and white.

"Nice to meet you both." She said in a pleasant voice.

"Nice to meet you as well. Where are you from?" I ask.

"I've always lived in Death City, but I used to go to Death City Private. I decided to transfer here because I wasn't too fond of the private school setting." She explains.

"Assigned seats!" The sub shouts from the desk. I sigh, smiling up at Maka.

"It was nice to meet you, maybe we can talk later?" I ask. Her face lights up and she smiles, nodding. She walks back to her seat, Soul remaining by my desk.

I open my book again to do the assignment, and Soul groans.

 _"Please_ don't do the assignment." He begs. I roll my eyes.

"Soul, do we receive a lot of homework from Mr. Barrett today?" Tsubaki asks.

"Yeah, a whole damn packet. Due tomorrow." I see what Tsubaki is doing, and glance at her. She looks at me sideways, smiling slightly.

"And you have lacrosse today?" She asks. Soul nods, his face glum.

"Perhaps now would be a good idea to finish or start the packet so you don't have to cheat on your math homework too." I said. Soul opens his mouth to say something, but the sub interrupts him.

"You there! Young man! If you do not go back to your seat this instant, I _will_ write you up!" He shouts. Soul sighs and rolls his eyes.

"I hate it when you're right, but then again I'm used to it." He said, winking at me. He moves off of my desk and playfully bumps into my shoulder, making his way back to his desk. I smile slightly, feeling a tinge of red touch my cheeks. Why am I blushing?

"You two are so going to get married one day." Tsubaki said, chuckling to herself. I gasp and hit her arm, astonished by her statement.

"Me and _SOUL_?! No way!"

"Oh come on Allie, look at how much you're blushing right now." I feel my cheeks with my hands, discovering she was right.

While it was true that Soul was very attractive, I couldn't see myself ending up with him. He was practically my brother; we'd grown up together. I hope Soul remains in my life forever, but I don't think it will be a romantic way. But then again, why am I blushing?!

"It's okay for you to have a crush on Soul, Allie." Tsubaki whispers. I scoff and begin doing my assignment again.

"I do not have a crush on Soul, Tsubaki. That's like me saying you still have the hots for _Black Star._ " I retort. She gasps at my comment.

Not even I know why I stooped so low as to bring up her longtime crush on Black Star. But, then again, I was getting so frustrated about her assumptions with Soul. I look at her sunken face, knowing I'd struck a nerve.

"I-I'm sorry Tsubaki. I don't know why I said that." I said.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have kept pressing about Soul. Let's just drop it, okay?" She asks. I know she's still hurt about my comment, but I turn my attention back towards my book. The guilt filled my stomach the rest of the period.

 **AN: Hope you've all had a wonderful day! This chapter was rather short, my apologies. I'll post chapter four soon to make up for it :)**

 **~Greenybean**


	4. Chapter 4

Tsubaki and I left English to go to lunch. We made small talk on the way to the cafeteria. I could tell Tsubaki was still upset about my comment earlier, but why did she think she could just say as much as she wanted about Soul and I with no repercussions?

"Are we cool from earlier? You seem a little upset still." I said, wanting to sort everything out.

"Yeah, I'm not upset with you. We were both at fault." She said. I nod and grin, grateful she wasn't still upset.

"How's English?" Liz asks when we sit down.

"Mifune isn't here. You have a grumpy old sub." Tsubaki responds. Liz groans and puts her head in her hands. I pull out my lunch and begin eating, listening to Kid and Liz debate Pokémon again.

Crona mutters something inaudible, her hands over her mouth. I look at Tsubaki to see if she understood, but she returns the same confused look.

"Can you repeat that, please?" I ask. Crona takes a deep breath and removes her hands.

"I-I heard w-we have a surprise dis-dissection in M-Mr. Stein today." She said quietly, her face down. I nod, not entirely surprised.

While Mr. Stein, our eccentric science teacher, had quite a few quirks, he was easily my favorite teacher. His knowledge was unsurpassed, and was a very kind man. Soul often teased me in saying I was one of his favorites, and I didn't doubt it. Stein was fond of my interest in science, often telling me about special opportunities and experiences.

"No surprise there." Tsubaki said, smiling. Crona gives a shaky smile, not being one for being the center of attention.

I continued eating my lunch when I see Soul enter the cafeteria. I raise an eyebrow at his appearance. He normally doesn't eat in here; he usually hangs out by the benches in the forum. He holds the door open for someone, and I see Maka follow him. I get it; he's showing her around.

I watch them from my seat as they laugh. Soul tugs on her pigtails, in which she slaps his hand away. A strange feeling fills my chest as I watch them flirt. Almost like a combination of sadness, annoyance, and anger. Was I jealous..?

"ALLIE!" Kid yells. I snap out of it and look at him, his face scrunched in annoyance.

"Geez! I've only called you 4 times." He exclaims.

"Sorry, just thinking about something."

"Whatever. Would you mind coming with me to math to ask Mr. Barrett something?"

"Yeah. That's fine." I said. I pack my lunch bag away, joining Kid at the door.

"We might as well stay in there since we have it next." He said, opening the door. I nod, my thoughts still remaining on Soul.

Surely I'd seen Soul be flirted with many times before. Why is this time any different? And then it hits me; I've really only ever seen Soul be flirted with. This was the first time he'd ever reciprocated the affection. Still, I shouldn't be upset about it. He's free to flirt with whomever he chooses... Right?!

"What is _with_ you all of a sudden?!" Kid exclaims, stopping outside the classroom.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Allie. You've been in a daze the entire time we walked up here! And I've been talking the entire time, I now look crazy!"

"I'm sorry." I said glumly. Kid's face softened, and he put a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, I didn't mean to make you upset. Do you need to talk?" He asks.

"No, I'm fine. It's nothing, really." I said, mustering a small smile. He removes his hand from my shoulder and grins back.

"Alright, well, let me know. I'm here for you." He said.

The bell rang, jolting us both.

"Aw Kid, you didn't get to ask your question. Maybe we can run in really quickly and ask?" I suggest.

"No, it's not a big deal." He said, shrugging. I raise an eyebrow as he walks into the room. As much as I like Kid, he can be very strange sometimes.

An hour and a half of math left me brain dead. When the bell rang, I jumped from my seat. Kid caught up with me in the hall as we walked to Mr. Stein's class.

Mr. Stein's class wasn't my favorite period just because I liked science and Mr. Stein; it also had all of my friends in it: Tsubaki, Crona, Liz, Kid, and Soul. The only unfortunate thing about the class was that a good amount of Soul's friends were in there too, meaning we didn't really talk much.

We walk in and see Tsubaki and Liz unpacking their bags.

"Hey guys." I said, setting my stuff down. They smile at Kid and I. I glance over at Soul and see he's talking to Blair. I roll my eyes.

Blair, also known as "Busty Blair" by the boys, is constantly on the hunt for a new guy. She's been vying for Soul ever since freshman year, but Soul was never interested.

"I'm nice to her and stuff, but the minute she starts throwing herself at me, I usually leave." Soul had once told me when I questioned about his relationship with Blair.

I look back over and see Blair is practically on Soul's lap, batting her eyelashes. His smile is forced, and he looks extremely uncomfortable.

"IT IS I, THE GREAT, THE ALMIGHTY...BLACK STAR!" Black Star shouts from the doorway, throwing his hands up. He runs towards Soul, slamming into a newly-arrived Crona. She slams to the ground, and Black Star continues on. Soul sees him and shakes Blair off his lap by standing.

"Fucking spazz!" Liz shouts in his direction, helping Crona up from the ground. Black Star glances behind him.

"Sorry! One must know to never get in the way of THE Black Star!" He shouts, standing proudly.

"Are you alright?" Tsubaki asks quietly. Crona was shaking as she sat in the seat next to me.

"I-I..." She began, but stopped. Everyone in the room was looking between us and Black Star. Crona put her head in her hands and sunk lower into her desk.

I clench my fist. Fucking Black Star...

"Hey, Crona. You okay?" A voice behinds us asks. Soul was standing next to her desk. She still had her head in her hands.

"Yeah." She said, muffled.

"You didn't do anything wrong, what Black Star did was totally uncool." He said, smiling. Crona didn't look up from her hands. He looked back at me desperately, not knowing what to do.

"Thank you for asking." Crona whispers, sitting up a little. Soul turned to her again and grinned.

"Anytime." He turned back to me, his mouth open to say something, but the bell interrupted him.

"Better get to your seat." I said quietly. He laughed and walked to his desk.

Mr. Stein had a tendency to heavily enforce the rules. According to the rules, students are to be in their seats when the bell rang. In Mr. Stein's class, if a student were not in their seat, he marked them tardy. It took two phone calls to his mother about his tardiness that Soul finally did as he was asked. It wasn't that Soul was a bad kid; he was just very social.

"Good afternoon. I'm sure many of you heard we have a surprise dissection today. We'll be dissecting a lamprey today!" Mr. Stein said, practically jumping up and down. I glance at Tsubaki, who gives me a small smile.

"I already made your lab groups. You'll be working in pairs." Stein explains. People begin to groan as he projects the lab groups up on the monitor. I scan the screen, my heart sinking when I find it.

 **Allie-Black Star**

"YAHOO! Whomever Allie is, she has a god as her partner!" Black Star screams, standing from his seat. I groan and put my head in my hands. Liz laughs at me.

I turn to look towards Black Star, who is now standing on a chair and waving his hands and shouting my name. Soul looks in my direction and gives me a sympathetic face. He hits Black Star's side and points toward me. Black Star jumps down from the chair and races over to me.

"Prepare to be astonished by the _genius_ that is your ruler." He said, sitting in the chair next to me. I roll my eyes.

I risk another glance at Soul and see Kid is sitting next to him with a scowl on his face. I frown at his expression, wondering what the issue could be. I keep my eyes locked on Kid, hoping he'd look in my direction, but to no avail. I'll have to ask him later what was upsetting him.

Stein sets down our dissection kit. I pull out the materials, handing Black Star a pair of goggles and gloves. He puts the goggles over his turquoise hair and begins laughing and shouting about how he looked like a mad scientist. I sigh and reach into the bag, gently wrapping my hand around the lamprey and placing it in the tub.

"I wanna cut it!" He yelled, sliding in front of the tub. I quickly step back to avoid him landing on me. He carelessly lifts up the scissors, about to make the first cut.

"It might be easier to cut with this." I said, holding up the needle. He either didn't hear me or ignores me, because he spreads the scissors and sticks them into the lamprey's body. Clear liquid begins coming out of the lamprey, and Black Star's eyes widen.

"Is this piss?!" He exclaims, continuing to maliciously cut the lamprey's body.

"No, it's formalin." I explain. Black Star makes a disappointed face.

"You do know we have to find these objects inside the lamprey, right? You're not cutting it all up yet?" I ask, holding up the instruction sheet. He squints at it, and then looks at the lamprey. I follow his gaze and gasp to see he'd cut it in half. He laughs like it's all a joke, but rage built inside me.

"You know what? I'll finish the lab. You go relax for the rest of the class period." I said, praying he'd leave. He looks a little taken aback, but steps away from the tub. I take his spot quickly before he changes his mind.

He walks away from the lab station and joins Kid and Soul. I can hear him making a scene from the opposite side of the room. I risk a look back at Kid. His jaw was set, his lips in a thin line, and his eyes were filled with rage. He glared at Black Star as he paraded around their lab station. I mentally send him an "I'm sorry," and continue on with the lab.

 **AN: Ah yes, dissection labs. Fun times..**

 **I promised I'd upload later to make up for a short chapter 3, hope you enjoyed!**

 **~Greenybean**


	5. Chapter 5

"Did you see Kid's face when Black Star knocked the lamprey tub off of the table? It wouldn't surprise me if Black Star goes missing tomorrow." Soul said, unlocking the car door.

"I'd be pissed too! He acts like such an imbecile."

"He acts like a hyperactive spazz, but Black Star's a good guy. He doesn't mean to be so crazy."

"All he cares about is being the center of attention." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Just because you don't like being the center of attention, doesn't mean it's an abnormal trait for people to have." Soul said, shrugging. I frown.

"I don't dislike being the center of attention." I retort. Soul shakes his head and laughs, making my cheeks redden.

I know Soul is right. I've never liked being the center of attention; it always gave me awful anxiety. I glance at Soul, who's watching me out of the corner of his eye. I sigh, admitting defeat.

"Anyway, are you going to the lacrosse game?" He asks. It always surprised me how easily Soul could change a conversation. His charisma was envious.

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you! They all agreed!"

"No way! Allie, that's great!" His grin is wide, his sharp teeth fully visibly. I laugh.

"You better not lose then, okay?"

"No, it'll be a good game. We're going up against our rival school." He explains. He pulls into my driveway, leaving the car in drive. I raise an eyebrow at him, wondering why he hadn't shifted into park.

"Y'know I've been meaning to ask you, but I keep forgetting. If I were to sell this car, would you be interested in buying it?" He asks.

"You're selling the car?! What?!" I exclaim. He sighs and runs his hand through his white hair.

"The _question_ , Allie."

"I-I don't really know. I'd have to ask. Now _my_ question, Soul."

He shrugs. "I don't know. Been thinking about it. Kinda wanna try something a little cooler for a guy my age."

I wait for him to elaborate on what he finds cooler, but my response is the car shifting into park. I open the door and step out, turning back towards him. He grins at me.

"No homework help tonight. Lacrosse ends at 6 today." He assures me. I smile.

"I don't mind helping, Soul. I just don't like giving answers." I said, reaching into the back and grabbing my backpack. I hear him laugh. When I look back at him, he winks at me.

"See you later, Al." He said. I close the door and watch him back out of the driveway and turning back towards the school.

I walk into my house, the only sound coming from the television in the den. I follow the noise, expecting to see my mother sitting on the couch and working on her laptop. When I enter the den, I'm surprised to see not just my mother, but Soul's as well.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just wanted to let you know I'm home." I said, standing in the doorway awkwardly. I smile at the both of them, and dash upstairs before they can say anything. I hear laughter as I reach the top, and I quickly walk into my room and shut the door.

I was at my desk doing homework for about twenty minutes when my mom enters my room. She smiles and closes the door.

"Hey, how was your day?" She asks, leaning against the corner of my desk. Her brown eyes looked tired, probably from a full day of work.

"It was okay. What about you?"

"Busy. They say working from home allows you more time to do things around the house, but that is a total lie. I sat down at my computer this morning shortly after you left, and didn't move from that spot." She sighs. I nod, moving my papers around on my desk.

"What was Ms. Evans here for?" I ask, the question burning in the back of my mind. Soul's mother and mine were friends, but it was abnormal for her to be at my house on a random Wednesday after school. My mom sighs.

"She's just having some troubles with her ex husband- Soul's father. He wants to go to the graduation."

"Uh okay, why is that an issue?"

"Because he has a restraining order against her. If he wins the case, she won't be able to attend the graduation because she'll have to abide by the restraining order distance."

"That's horrible! He can't do that!"

"We don't really know what he's doing. He's feeding his lawyer a ton of useless information and lies. She thinks it'll probably be between her lawyer and his."

"Does Soul know this?" My mother looks away. I gape at her, at a loss for words.

"N-no. That's what she needed advice on. She wasn't sure whether she should tell him or not."

"She has to tell him! This directly affects him!"

"She doesn't want Soul to worry. She said that if she told Soul, he'd worry about it and forget to enjoy his last two months of high school. She wants him to focus on his finals and prom and graduation and lacrosse and getting ready for college... But she knows if he's aware of what's going on that he'll just think about that."

My original thoughts became jumbled. I could really see both arguments here. Soul has always tended to be a worrywart; I begin thinking back to all of the times when I or one of my friends would fall and get hurt on the playground in elementary school. Soul would sit in the nurse's office with them, refusing to go back to class until his friend was okay. But then again, Soul should know about what his mother is going through. He should know what's going on in his family.

"I just... I don't know. I just feel that if Soul knew, perhaps his opinion could point the direction of the case in Ms. Evan's favor."

"It could very easily do that, but we have to respect her decision. You and I may hold different opinions as to what she should do, but that doesn't make her wrong necessarily."

"No, I agree. I just feel guilty now knowing something so influential about Soul's life, and he doesn't even know it himself."

"Believe me, I do too. But when he finds out, it should be because his mother told him." I nod, looking down at my homework. My mom pats me on the back, and moves off of my desk.

"I'm going to make dinner now, I'll call you when it's done." She said.

I smile at her as she closes the door, and try focusing on my homework, but to no avail. My thoughts remain only on Soul and his family.

 **AN: Cliffhanger of sorts!**

 **~Greenybean**


	6. Chapter 6

I'd never met Soul's father. I've heard many stories about him, but because of the restraining order, he's never been able to come visit. I know there's a lot of tension between him and Soul's mother, though I don't really know the exact reasoning behind their divorce. It happened when Soul was young; probably 4 or 5. They'd moved in across the street from my mother and I. At the time, Soul's brother still lived there.

I don't remember much about Soul's older brother, Wes. There was a huge age gap; almost 7 full years. Wes was 11 or 12 when they moved in, and he was very different from Soul. While Soul was loud and social and happy, Wes tended to stick with himself, in his room. Him and Soul didn't get along so well; I blamed the age gap. Wes's refusal to play with Soul led to Soul and I's great friendship, but it resulted in a distant relationship between the two brothers.

Ms. Evans always raved about Wes's musical abilities. I don't remember if I ever heard him play, but his talents were obviously present because by the time he was fourteen, he was receiving many prestigious offers from private music schools. He eventually accepted one and left the Evans household, returning only for holidays and school breaks. His visits home slowly became very rare, and now Soul and his mother must travel to downtown Death City to see him.

I understand why Ms. Evans doesn't want to tell Soul. Not only would he worry endlessly, he'd also hate his father. And while Soul's father is anything but good, he shouldn't have both of his sons disown him. It's hard living your life without a present father; I'd know.

My dad passed away when I was only 2 years old. By the time he died, he was practically a walking cancer cell. I really don't remember my dad that well, given my young age, which hurt me more than anything. Everyone who knew him said he was a great person and an even better father.

My throat begins to constrict and I feel my eyes watering. I quickly wipe them, willing the water to go away. I pull myself together and begin my homework when my phone begins to vibrate. I glance down and see the words "incoming FaceTime" with Kid's face filling the background of my screen. I slide the accept.

I open my mouth to begin talking, but Kid is already going a mile a minute.

"You'll never ever believe what the balloon company did. I am appalled." Kid exclaims. His face is red, and it looks almost like he's been crying.

"What happened?!"

"We ordered _800_ balloons for the prom. Each box should contain one hundred balloons, and when I counted, one had 99. _99, Allie_. That means there's _799_ balloons, which is disgusting! Uneven! Revolting!" I stifle a laugh as his eyes get watery. Kid has always had an obsession with things being perfect and even. This is probably killing him.

"Kid, it's okay. We can just order another pack an-"

"And what?! Have _899_ balloons!? We can only order in sets of 100, Allie!" I think for a moment, considering the options.

"What's the problem with having 799 balloons, Kid? Nobody is going to be counting them."

He groans, running his hands down his face. "You're as helpful as Black Star." He said.

Kid was the student body president. He was adamant about getting things done and having them be perfect. I, being his Vice President, often oversaw the production and made sure everything went smoothly. Black Star is the student body secretary simply because nobody else was running for it and he wanted to win. He does nothing to help, never shows up, and doesn't contribute anything. Kid and I split up his workload between the two of us, and somehow we manage to get it all done.

I look back at the screen and see Kid's face is in his hands, his body shuddering. He can be so pathetic sometimes. "Do you want me to call the balloon company tomorrow and see what they can do?" I ask, forcing myself not to laugh.

He sniffles. "Yes please." He begs. I uncap my pen and scribble **CALL BALLOON COMPANY** on my hand. I turn my wrist so my hand faces the camera for Kid to see. His shoulders relax a little once he sees it.

"Thank you." He said.

"Anytime." I began working on my homework when something hit me. I angle myself back towards my phone, making sure he was still there.

"Kid?"

"Yes?"

"Today, in Stein's class. You we-"

"Today was a complete mess. A catastrophe. Those idiots... Stein did that to me on purpose." Kid said, his eyes holding a murderous rage.

"Before the mess happened. You looked so upset. Was something bothering you?" I ask.

Kid looks at me, a confused look on his face. "Of course I was upset. I was stuck working with _Soul Evans_."

I frown. "What's wrong with Soul?"

"He's stupid. And he thinks he's so cool. I've _never_ liked him."

"That's a lie, you hung out with him all the time in elemen-"

"I hung out with him because _everybody_ else was friends with him. I've never once wanted to be associated with him." Kid argues, rolling his eyes. I sigh, shrugging my shoulders. Once Kid has a thought about something, he never changes his mind.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." I said quietly.

"Don't feel bad. I don't mean to talk badly about him, I know you're friends with him and all, but I really can't stand him." He explains. I nod, looking at my homework.

"I still have to finish the math packet, so I'll talk with you tomorrow."

"Alright, night." My phone dinged, letting me know the FaceTime had ended. I quickly finish my homework, and hear my mom shout that dinner was ready. I pack my bag up and skip down the stairs.

By the time I'd eaten and helped clean up, it was almost 8:30. I go up the stairs and into my room, shutting the door. It was too early to go to sleep, so I grabbed my phone and looked for something to entertain myself with. I ended up on YouTube, scrolling through some funny videos, when my phone begins to ring. Soul's name flashed on the screen.

"Soul?" I ask, hesitantly. Soul normally doesn't call me; we usually just text each other. My mind begins going a mile a minute: did his mom tell him? Did she tell him that we knew? Is he furious that I hadn't told him? My heart constricts at the thought.

"Hey Al!" He said. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding; he didn't sound angry.

"Hey, what's up?" I ask.

"I need to ask you a favor, and I knew if I didn't ask you now that I'd totally forget."

"It's not homework answers again, is it?"

I hear him laugh. "No, I already did my homework. I was going to gloat about it at the end of the call."

I grin to myself. "Well? The favor is?"

"Will you wear that sweatshirt I gave you today to school on Friday?"

"Uh, I guess. Why?"

"The boys want to do something special for our game Friday since it's against our rival, and they decided on letting our girlfriends wearing our sweatshirts." My jaw drops at his words, my heart rate speeding up. Girlfriend?

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to. I mean, it'd be totally uncool to force you... But just throwing out there that if you don't wear it then Blair will probably harass me about it." He explains. I laugh.

"Um, sure. That's fine."

"Great! You're a lifesaver, Allie." I laugh nervously. If Soul heard it, he didn't mention anything.

"Also, I can't drive you home from school Friday because of the game. I can take you home from that though."

"Okay, that's fine. I can ask Tsubaki."

I can hear the smile in his voice. "Alright. I gotta shower and get ready for tomorrow. Good night, Al."

"Good night Soul." I said, looking out the window at his room. He sat on his bed, holding his phone to his ear, watching me as well. We smile at each other, and I hang up. He stands and leaves his room.

I lay sprawled out on my bed, my mind a mix of emotions. Why did the idea of being Soul's girlfriend freak me out so much? I'm reminded of what Tsubaki said earlier today, and how I felt when he was with Maka. I never want to lose the friendship I have with Soul. If we became romantic and something happened, I'd lose him. I couldn't be with him... Yet the thought of him being with anyone else made my chest hurt.

I groan and throw a pillow across the room, angry at myself for being so conflicted. I usually _always_ had an answer, _always_ had a remark, _ALWAYS_ had a clear thought.

But right now, my mind was a jumbled mess.

 **AN: Has anyone else ever had a person mess with your head, intentionally or unintentionally? I think it's inevitable.**

 **Please follow, fav, or review! Or all three if you want :) the support is GREATLY appreciated!**

 **~Greenybean**


	7. Chapter 7

I woke up Friday morning earlier than my alarm clock. I sigh and throw the sheets off, knowing there's no point in trying to go back to sleep. I rub my sleep crusted eyes, thankful the week was over.

I walk over to my desk chair where my outfit for today lay out; vans, jeans, and Soul's sweatshirt. He'd thanked me profusely yesterday about wearing it, claiming it would've been uncool of him to let Blair wear it considering he didn't even really like her.

I get dressed quickly, flipping my hair out from under the sweatshirt. I ran my fingers through my long brown locks, wondering if I should keep it down or put it up. It wasn't actually too flat today, which was a relief. I decided to keep it down, but slid a clip in the side to keep it from falling in my face.

I go through my normal morning routine, finishing earlier than I anticipated. I consider laying back down in bed until it was time to meet at Soul's car, but truth be told I didn't really feel like laying back down. It'd probably mess my hair up and rumple my clothes. While I normally don't pay much attention to how I look, I don't want to look like a slob. Not only does it make me feel gross, but Kid would shun me the entire day.

I ended up straightening my bookshelf out until it was time to head out. I hug my mom goodbye and walk out the door.

The sun shone brightly in my eyes as I step out. I shield my face slightly, the sudden bright light leaving dark spots. I blink them away and walk across the street, assuming my regular position of waiting next to Soul's car. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I pull it out. Tsubaki's name appears next to the message icon.

 _T: You're coming back to my house after school, right?_

 _A: Yes, and then you're taking me to the game?_

 _T: Right! We need to get Crona on the way to the game too, she asked me yesterday_

 _A: You'll have room right?_

 _T: Yeah, that's not a problem... She worries me sometimes_

 _A: Yeah same_

 _T: It's weird, right? That her mom doesn't work, yet Crona still needs transportation everywhere?_

 _A: I mean, some parents just don't like driving their kids places... I've honestly never even seen her mom around though_

 _T: I just hope she's okay_

 _A: Me too_

"Can't even greet the amazingly cool person who gives you a ride every day?" I look up from my phone and see Soul grinning at me. He had on his lacrosse jersey; the dark jersey making his hair seem translucent. I shrug and get in the car.

"Sorry, just texting Tsubaki about... Something."

"Wow, that wasn't vague at all."

I sigh and look at him, his red eyes meeting my blue ones. Despite the harsh color, I see nothing but concern in his them. He raises an eyebrow.

"It's about Crona. She worries us sometimes." I explain. Soul nods and starts the car, leaving the conversation for later.

I glance at him as he drives. His eyes remained on the road, carefully watching the traffic. We stop at a red light, and I poke his arm. He looks over at me as I motion to the sweatshirt on my body. His eyes light up and he grins.

"I like it. Looks cool on you." He said. I laugh as he looks my outfit up and down. I know he doesn't mean anything by it, but I can't help but feel a little self-conscious, uncomfortably shifting in my seat. He notices this and shifts his eyes back to the road.

"I'm excited for the game tonight. Everyone is." I said, smiling. Soul smiles, his sharp teeth shining in the sunshine. He pulls into his parking spot at school and sits back in his seat.

"I'm a little nervous. It's going to be a tough game, tons of scouts there too."

"I'm sure you'll do great, Soul. For your team and for the scouts." I said, giving him an encouraging smile. He gives me a side glance and sighs. I frown.

"I hope they don't take much notice of me. I'm hoping this'll be my last year of lacrosse." He explains. I drop my jaw, staring at him with wide eyes. Did I just hear him correctly?

"What? You don't want to play in college?"

He shrugs. "Not really." He said. He looks at my shocked expression and sighs.

"Allie, I've been playing lacrosse since I was 7 years old. I've done travel, school, and even coached lacrosse. I'm burned out." He said. When I don't answer, he continues talking.

"And coach thinks I want to go to college playing, and is setting up all these scouts to come to the games to watch me. And I'm afraid they're going to offer me a huge lacrosse scholarship that I'll be obliged to take to prevent my mom from paying thousands of dollars for my schooling. If I didn't accept it, I'd look like an ass. Which, like I said before, isn't cool."

I don't think I'd ever seen Soul look so conflicted. His normally bright eyes were dark, his usual slouched posture was upright from stress, and I could practically see the confusion swimming in his mind.

"You have to do what makes you happy, Soul. In the end, that's all that matters." I said. He moves his eyes from his lap to my face, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You always know what to say." He said quietly. His smile grows bigger, his eyes finally back to their usual brightness. I feel my cheeks heat up as I gently pat his arm, feeling his tense body relax under my touch.

"Don't worry so much. C'mon, let's get to class." I said, hoping he couldn't see the redness of my face. We get our of the car and walk towards the building.

After sitting through an excruciatingly boring lecture in Ms. Mjolnir's class, I was heavily anticipating English. Tsubaki and I walk through the doorway, seeing Mifune writing on the board. I breathe a sigh of relief; no grumpy subs today.

I glance to the back of the room to see if Soul is here yet. He stood with his back to me, talking to the person sitting at the desk. Black Star sat to the left, talking wildly and motioning with his hands to some girls. I frown. If Black Star was sitting there, who was Soul talking too?

He shifts his shoulders, allowing me to see the person. I recognize a light blonde pigtail, and I involuntarily frown. Maka.

"You can't just stand in the doorway." Tsubaki whispers. I blink and realize I'd been rooted to the spot, glaring towards the back of the room. I swiftly walk over to my seat, looking to make sure no one noticed me. Like I suspected, everyone was too preoccupied on their phones.

"Are you alright?" She asks, sitting down. I look at the ground, pretending to find something in my backpack.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" I look back over at her, feigning a smile. But Tsubaki knows me too well. She glances back towards Soul, seeing him still talking with Maka. She turns and gives me a sympathetic face.

"It's nothing." I said grudgingly. Tsubaki sighed, opening her binder.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you're the one with the sweatshirt." She said, winking. I feel my face get red as she laughs. I turn my head so she can't see my smile.

I was halfway out the door of English when someone grabs my arm. I jump and move away quickly, the scare causing my heart rate to speed up. I turn and see Maka with her hands over her mouth.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!" She exclaims. I chuckle a little, trying to even my breathing. Her eyes were filled with concern.

"It's okay." I said. I walk out the door and stand alongside the wall to avoid being in the way. Tsubaki stood next to me, and Maka joined us. She stood in front of us, smiling.

"I noticed your sweatshirt today!" She exclaims, pointing at my chest. I glance down, remembering whose it was.

"Oh uh, yeah. He wanted me to wear it be-"

"Because the team made a unanimous vote for the girlfriends to wear them, right?" She interrupts. I set my lips together in a tight line.

"Yeah. But I'm not his girlfriend." I said annoyed, crossing my arms. Tsubaki shoots me a look, and glances at Maka. She looks a little confused at my tone.

"Are you going to the game tonight, Maka?" Tsubaki asks.

Maka's face brightened. "Yes! That's what I wanted to ask you guys about. Soul said you guys were going, would you mind if I hung around with you?" She asks.

"Sure." I said, shrugging. I make a small smile, which Maka returns.

"Great! I'll meet you guys at the stadium at game time!" She said. She waves goodbye and walks away. Once she's gone, I roll my eyes.

"Little standoffish, don't you think?" Tsubaki asks as we walk down the stairs.

I scoff. "I was _not_ standoffish. Excuse me for being a little pissed that she interrupted me." I said. Tsubaki chuckles softly as we walk into the cafeteria.

 **Please continue supporting this story! :)**

 **~Greenybean**


	8. Chapter 8

Everyone was already at the table and eating. I didn't think we'd talked to Maka long enough to be late, but it didn't really matter either way. We sat and talked, mainly discussing the plan for tonight.

"Are we hanging out after?" Liz asks.

"Anywhere but my place, _please_. My father is redecorating some of the rooms and I can't stand the mess." Kid begs. I laugh as he shoots me an angry look.

"I don't think I can, my mom really wanted me home right after." Tsubaki said.

"M-me neither." Crona stutters, her hands resting on her chin.

I shrug. "It's okay. Maybe we can all get together at some point this weekend." I said, smiling.

"ANYWHERE BUT MY HOUSE!" Kid yells again. We all laugh at his outburst, and even he grins a little.

The rest of the day went by quickly. Before I knew it, I was walking out of Mr. Stein's class with Kid and Tsubaki.

"Did the balloon company get back to you?" Kid demands. He reminded me probably 18 times yesterday to call the balloon company. When I did, they told me they'd get back to me later. Kid had been a wreck the rest of the day, muttering about how much of a failure he was for only getting 799 balloons. I'd totally forgotten to tell him they'd called me back last night.

"Yeah, they apologized for the mistake. And after much begging to send one balloon to even the number, they finally agreed. It'll be here by Tuesday." I said.

Kid closes his eyes and breathes a loud sigh of relief. He puts his hand on his chest. I roll my eyes; leave it to Kid to be extremely over dramatic. "You are amazing. Thank you." He said. I laugh.

The parking lot was filled with people pulling recklessly out of their spots, nearly running us over. Kid separated from us, walking towards his car, leaving Tsubaki and I.

We chat as we walk, and I find myself looking to where Soul's car was parked. The car was still there, with the black door open. Soul's tall frame was leaning into the car, scrambling around for something. I shake my head; so disorganized.

Tsubaki notices me watching and stops walking. I look away from the car and at her stopped frame, raising an eyebrow.

"Want to go say hi?" She asks, motioning towards Soul.

"I uh, I don't care." I stutter, averting my eyes to the ground. Tsubaki gives me a look, making me blush. She opens her mouth to say more, but thankfully someone interrupts.

"You guys should probably get out of the road, they won't hesitate to run you down." Soul calls, closing the door to the car. He's grinning like always. He walks over to where we're standing, stopping to my right.

"Hi, Soul." Tsubaki said kindly.

"Hey Tsubaki. Hey." He said, nudging my shoulder. Tsubaki gives me a knowing look. I roll my eyes at her and look over to Soul.

"Shouldn't you be getting to the stadium?" I ask. Soul groans, running his hands through his hair.

"Don't make me." He complains. I laugh, and Tsubaki raises an eyebrow.

"Do you not want to play?" She asks. Soul shrugs, hoisting his bag further up his shoulder.

"I'm just lazy." He said, smiling. Tsubaki laughs, but I can tell his smile is forced. The truth is she's exactly right. His eyes rest on my face, and I give him a sympathetic smile.

"We'll see you later." I said softly. We wave goodbye as he walks slowly towards the stadium, dragging out the trip. We arrive at Tsubaki's small white car and get in.

"Is he okay?" Tsubaki asks.

I don't give Tsubaki as much as credit as she deserves. She can practically see through anyone. She can pick up on even the slightest facial change or action that might tell something is amiss. I don't think I've ever met anyone that could do that.

I sigh. "He's just stressed. With everything." I said, figuring that's as far as I should go. Tsubaki doesn't pry, letting the conversation drop. Or so I thought.

"You like him, don't you." It's not even a question. She doesn't look to me for confirmation. She just knows. Because she's Tsubaki, and she picks up on everything. Damn.

I want to argue. I want to roll my eyes and cross my arms and deny it to the ends of the earth. Because the truth is, I don't want to like Soul. But for some reason my heart disagrees with my brain, constantly pulling me the wrong direction. When Tsubaki looks at me with her kind eyes, I sigh and sit back.

"I don't even know anymore. I shouldn't." I said.

"But why?! I don't understand why you think it's such a bad thing to like Soul." She exclaims, throwing a hand in the air. I recoil slightly at her change in tone, and she relaxes her shoulders slightly.

"I-I don't know. He's my friend and..." I said, fading off. The rest of the car ride to Tsubaki's house is quiet. I could tell Tsubaki was trying to decipher why I didn't want to admit my feelings for Soul. But truth was, there wasn't really a reason. He was my friend; practically my brother.

She parks the car in her driveway, not unlocking the doors. I get deja vu, reminding me of when Soul wouldn't let me get out of the car a few days ago.

"Tell me exactly how you feel." She said, softly. I look into her deep blue eyes, her calm and delicate features making all hesitation melt away. I found myself saying words I didn't even know I felt.

"I can't explain it. Sometimes when I'm with him, all I want is to hold his hand and kiss his cheek and all that mushy stuff, and other times I'm content with punching his arm and messing around. I can't tell how I feel about Soul.

"And it's not like it matters, anyway. Because _everybody_ in school finds Soul attractive. And if he had to settle for one of them, he'd _never_ settle for me. He wouldn't think to. Because to him I'm just his friend." I finish. I feel hollowness in my chest, as if the confession finally cleared away the emotional blockage.

My throat constricts as I realize how much I'd just poured out to Tsubaki. She looks shocked, as if she never knew I felt like that.

"You feel insignificant to Soul's friends?" She asks. I nod, realizing how pathetic I was sounding. I always told everyone to be themselves, and here I was complaining that myself wasn't good enough for Soul.

I'm such a hypocrite. And a baby.

Tsubaki wraps an arm around my shoulders, patting my back. After trying so hard, the dam finally broke. I collapsed into her arms and cried.

"I-I just don't know what's happening! I didn't ha-have these feelings for him a month or so a-ago and now when I see him wi-with Maka I just get _so angry_ and so sad an-and..." I sob, holding onto her tightly. She softly shushes me, gently stroking my back.

We sit like this for a few minutes, me sobbing into her shirt while she holds me. I can't even remember the last time I cried like this; it was probably when Kilik Rung asked Liz to prom last year, going against his promise of asking me. Soul had been the Tsubaki of that night; holding me against his strong chest while I cried. The only difference was while Tsubaki held me silently, Soul cursed like a sailor in my ear as to how badly he was going to kick Kilik's ass.

The thought of Soul just made me cry harder. Tsubaki gently pushes me off of her shoulder and unlocks the car.

"C'mon. Let's talk inside." She said, getting out. I collect myself enough so that I don't exit the car wailing. She meets me at my door and takes my hand, guiding me the familiar way up her steps and into her house.

Her house was impeccable, as always. While Kid was the neat freak of the group, Tsubaki had a quiet liking for things being in order. Despite having a younger brother who left messes everywhere he went, Tsubaki still managed to keep her family's house in order. Her parents didn't know how lucky they were to have her for a daughter.

She leads me down the hall to her room, the lavender walls of it somewhat soothing me. I'd stopped sobbing now, silent tears occasionally rolling down my cheeks and a sniffle here and there. I sat on Tsubaki's bed and she sat in the chair across from me.

She gave my hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it, placing hers back in her lap. "Wanna know what I think?" She asks. I nod, still too choked up to speak.

"Well, to start off with, I think if Soul found out you feel insignificant compared to his friends, he'd be mortified. You know Soul cares about you a lot, don't tell yourself otherwise. And there's nothing wrong with liking him, Allie. Believe me. God, I've liked Black Star since 8th grade?! And I still do! I don't have any shame in it!" She said.

"I just don't understand _why_ , Tsubaki. I've been friends with him for what- 14 years? And just recently I've started feeling weird around him."

"Perhaps it has something to do with Maka." She guesses. I sigh and lay back on the bed, giving up. Was it Maka? Was the thought of a new girl in Soul's life making me feel threatened?

I groan, putting my hands over my face. My eyes were puffy and my face was hot. I knew I looked terrible; I'd have to freshen up before the game. "So now I'm confused _and_ jealous." I said, groaning. Tsubaki laughs, joining me on the bed.

"That's how it feels to have a crush. Come on, let's get you freshened up. I told Crona we'd be at her house at 6."

 **I hate when you can't decipher how you feel about a boy _ hope you enjoyed!**

 **~Greenybean**


	9. Chapter 9

Tsubaki pulls into Crona's driveway. Her house was small and worn down, paint peeling and shutters half off. It was overgrown, weeds growing on the walkway where we walked to her door. The porch light flickered creepily. I wrap my arms over my chest, the hair on the back of my neck standing up.

Tsubaki rings the doorbell. It opens almost immediately. Crona stood before us in her usual black dress. She looked alarmed and confused.

"Wh-what are you guys doing here?! It's not 6 yet, is it?" She exclaims, glancing around nervously.

"No! No, we're early. Take your time if you're not ready." Tsubaki said, smiling. Crona sighs and nods, about to close the door. I step forward a little, and she holds it open.

"Oh, do y-you wa-wanna come i-in?" She stutters. I nod, smiling warmly. She holds open the door. She's practically shaking; I feel a sense of unease settle in my stomach.

The house was blank. No paintings hung on the walls. There was hardly any furniture aside from basic pieces. The walls were cream colored and were accompanied by old wood flooring. The floor had many scratch marks on it. I was beginning to wonder if they'd been here when Crona moved in when I heard barking.

I never knew Crona had a dog. She never talked much about it. A flash of black bolts from the kitchen right for us. It was small but quick, barking the entire way.

"Ragnarok no!" Crona shouts, stepping towards the dog. But it was too late. The dog made a beeline for Tsubaki and I, and begins ferociously biting and tearing at Tsubaki's skirt. She gasps in surprise, stepping backwards and pulling up her skirt higher.

But Ragnarok won't give up. The dog leaps from the floor, baring its sharp teeth. Once it gives up on Tsubaki, it turns to me. I swallow a large gulp as it steps toward me growling, but Crona grabs the dog around its midsection. It bites and snarls in her grasp, getting some scratches in on her hand.

"I-I'm so sorry. He gets ve-very hyper." She said, clutching the dog. I gape at her as she tries calming it down, but to no avail. Eventually she turns and walks away, and I hear something like a door opening and closing. She must've let it out.

"Crona, are you alright? It looks like Ragnarok scratched you." I said. I avert my eyes to her hand as she tugs her sleeve down, hiding the damage. I frown.

"Oh, I'm fine. Yeah. Haha." She fake laughs, but it looks more like a grimace.

"Well you finish up what you were doing before we got here. And then we can go to the game." Tsubaki said, smiling.

"W-we can go now. Let me say goodbye to my mom." Crona said quickly. She turns towards the stairs but stops dead in her tracks when a voice rises from the back of the house.

"Why is Ragnarok outside again? He's already been out." It was feminine and smooth, like butter on toast. Crona jumps at the sound, her eyes wide. A woman walked into the clearing, clutching the demon dog and scratching its chin. It growled at us again.

The woman was young, very young to have an 18 year old daughter. She had long brown hair tied in a braid that went across her chin, which I found strange. She wore all black, with dark ink curling on her arms. Her toenails and fingernails were covered in black polish, with strange yellow designs on them. Despite all of this, the strangest thing about her was her eyes. They were yellow and slitted, reminding me of a snake.

"R-Ragnarok was biting a-at my friends and I." Crona said nervously. Crona's mother raises an eyebrow at us and makes a face, as if it was our fault somehow.

"Well, he's just defending his home. No need to punish him." She said, placing Ragnarok back on the floor. Once on the ground, it begins biting at Crona's shoes. Crona sighs, ignoring it.

"Mom, this i-is Allie and Tsu-Tsubaki." She said, motioning towards us. I put my hand out, shaking Crona's mother's hand. Her skin held a weird texture; somewhat scaly and cold. Visions of snakes replay in my head, but I shake them away.

"Nice to meet you girls. I'm Medusa, Crona's mother." She said, smirking. Of course, the woman who reminds me so much of a snake, is named Medusa. It takes everything I have not to laugh.

Medusa turns to Crona, who stands there anxiously. "Crona, be home by nine." She said. She begins walking away, but Crona interrupts her.

"Ni-nine? But the game is sup-supposed to be two hours." She said. Medusa slowly turns around, a look of anger in her eyes. Crona whimpers quietly and backs into the wall.

"Nine o'clock, Crona. Any later and you'll never be allowed out again." Medusa said. Her tone sent a chill down my spine. I would never want to cross this lady.

"Don't worry, Crona. I wasn't planning on staying the whole game anyway. I'll take you home." Tsubaki said, placing a hand on Crona's shoulder and smiling. Crona stares at her in shock, but manages a nod.

Medusa grins. "See? No need to get an attitude over it. Have fun." She said. She called Ragnarok, who sprang from Crona's feet and followed Medusa into the living room. Crona quickly opens the door and ran out, Tsubaki and I following closely.

Once in the car and settled, Crona spoke. "I-I'm sorry about my do-dog. And that you have to ta-take me home early, Tsubaki." She said. Her head was low, her eyes cast toward her lap.

"Oh Crona, I really don't mind." Tsubaki said kindly. Crona doesn't make any sort of response. I shrug at Tsubaki's concerned face, and we start towards the school.

The lights blazed above the stadium, illuminating the dark sky. We'd been lucky to find a parking spot; it was almost as if everyone in Death City was here tonight.

We found Kid and Liz waiting for us outside the entrance. After a quick greeting, we were inside the stadium. We fought our way against the crowd to the bleachers, and sat down. The air was warm, a light breeze blowing. We'd sat down all of two minutes when Liz was already asking to go to the concession stand.

 _"Must_ we fight against that huge crowd of people to get you a popcorn?! Why not just pop a bag at your house and bring that?!" Kid said, exasperatedly. Liz shrugs, standing.

"I'll go with you, Liz." I said, standing as well. We carefully make our way down the crowded stairs and to the line outside of concessions.

"Damn, lacrosse boys are way hotter than I thought." Liz said, looking appreciatively at some boys in lacrosse jerseys walking by. I laugh. Liz bumps my shoulder, making me face her.

"Don't you agree?" She asks.

"Yeah, they are pretty hot." I said, laughing. I watch the boys walk by, but my mind remained on one specific lacrosse boy with white hair. Soul definitely fit the title of an attractive lacrosse boy. Ugh, why must everything go back to Soul?!

I open my mouth to make a comment when someone shouts my name.

"ALLIE! There you are!" The voice yells. Liz and I turn to see Maka barreling through the crowd, straight towards us. How someone so small can reach her destination in such a crowded area is beyond me, but she manages to reach us.

"Hey! I've been looking for you." She said, smiling. Liz looks at her strangely, and Maka extends a hand.

"Hi! I'm Maka Albarn, nice to meet you!"

"Liz Thompson." Liz said. When Liz didn't extend a hand, Maka draws hers back embarrassingly. Her eyes widen at the sound of Liz's last name.

"Thompson? Oh! You must be Patty's sister!" She exclaims. Liz nods. Geez, I'd Tsubaki thought _I_ was standoffish to Maka earlier today, she would be mortified at Liz's actions right now. Although Liz never came off warmly to anyone; it took much interaction before Liz so much as responded to your conversation.

Maka seems to notice Liz's attitude, and turns to me instead. I force a smile, my feelings from earlier today still deep in my heart.

I shouldn't blame Maka for being with Soul so much. It wasn't her fault, and yet I act so coldly towards her. Guilt fills me as she looks into my blue eyes with her emerald ones. She didn't seem like she meant much harm. I take a deep breath, willing all anger and frustration towards Maka to go away.

"Do you want any snacks?" I ask as we step up to the concession counter.

"Oh no I'm good, but thank you!" She said, smiling appreciatively. I smile back, for real this time.

Once Liz got her popcorn, the three of us made our way back up the stairs and to our seats on the bleachers. Everyone slid down to make room for Maka. Tsubaki gave her a warm smile when she sat down.

"Guys, this is Maka. She's new here." I explain. Maka smiles at everyone. Liz rolls her eyes, looking at the field. Crona shifts uncomfortably in her seat, raising a hand as if it were a wave. Kid smiles back.

"Hello Maka, I am Kid. To my right her is Crona, and on the far side is Liz. How are you liking Death City Public?" He asks, leaning forward to look at her.

"It's great! I enjoy my classes and have made some new friends, which is always good. The teach-"

"That's great, were you shown around on your first day? I don't remember ever hearing about a new student." Kid interrupts. Maka looks a little confused, looking to Tsubaki and I for an answer. I sigh and shrug. Figures Kid would bring student government into a conversation; it was either that or cleanliness.

"Oh um, no I was taken to class by the principal. Soul Evans showed me around during lunch." She explains. I feel Tsubaki's eyes on me at the mention of Soul's name. I will my fist not to clench.

Kid smacks the bleacher angrily, making Crona jump. "This is disastrous! Horrible! Atrocious! This school cannot do _anything_ I ask. _I'm_ supposed to show new students around. How aggravating!" He yells, burying his head in his hands. Maka gapes at him.

"He's the student body president, he takes it _very_ seriously." Tsubaki explains. Kid sat on the bleacher, rocking slowly back and forth. Crona scoots further away from him. Liz continues eating her popcorn.

"I'm glad you're making friends, who are some of them? I may know them." I said, smiling.

"You and Tsubaki, of course. Your other friends... I'll have to get to know them a little better," Tsubaki and I laugh, and she grins. "And Black Star and Blair are nice. Liz's little sister Patty is cute. But I've probably grown friendliest with Soul; he's in all of my classes." She explains.

"Soul's a good guy; he's my neighbor." I said. I will myself not to get angry. It's not her fault... It's not her fault... It's not her fault...

"Oh yeah! Soul told me that too. He's really great, he invited me to the game tonight so I could meet new people." She explains.

A part of me wants to retaliate something, but I know it's futile. Maka clearly doesn't see this the same way I am, and it'd be wrong of me to treat her like she did. She just seems to want friendship, which I can't blame her for.

Luckily before the conversation could continue, the whistle blows. I turn my focus to the field, watching as players ran onto the field. I find Soul's number easily, standing on the left side of the field. I couldn't make out any other players except Black Star, whose turquoise hair hung out of his helmet.

"I've never seen a lacrosse game before, this should be fun!" Tsubaki said next to me. I smile at her, and watch as the game begins.


	10. Chapter 10

If I was asked to describe lacrosse in 3 words, I would say fast, aggressive, and scary. Never in my life had I seen teenage boys hit each other with sticks or intentionally trip another person. Blame it on my little exposure to sports; the aggression shocked me.

By halftime, the score was 5-4, Death City barely in the lead. I excuse myself to grab a water, my throat sore from all of the yelling.

Again, a long line awaited me at concessions. I wait patiently, listening to other people discuss the game. I began zoning out when someone taps my shoulder. I turn and see Mr. Stein behind me in line, a cigarette hanging lazily from his mouth.

"Surprised to see you here, Ms. Parker. I don't believe I've ever seen you at a sporting event." He said. I laugh as he takes a puff from his cigarette.

"I'm surprised as well. Soul told me to come, said it'd be a good game. He wasn't wrong." I said.

"Ah yes, Soul is playing a very good game too. Wish he'd show as much effort in my class as he does on the lacrosse field."

I shrug. "He's smart. He just doesn't apply himself much."

Stein notices my defensive tone and changes the subject. "He could use some of your determination. Will you be tutoring tomorrow for final preparations?" He asks.

I nod. "Yup. I'll be tutoring from 3-7:30." I said. Stein sighs somewhat, making me frown.

"Do you want to give up your Saturday tutoring people for their finals?" He asks.

"Well, I doubt I'd have anything better to do." I said. He puffs again from his cigarette.

"It's your senior year, Allie. You can be studious and have fun. It _is_ possible." He said in a knowing tone.

I shrug again. "I know. But tutoring is also my job. It's almost like I'm going to work." I explain. He shrugs, making me slump my shoulders a little. Nothing like having your teacher tell you that you have no life.

I order my water and walk back up the bleachers, saying goodbye to Stein. I sat back down in between Maka and Tsubaki. The buzzer went off, signaling halftime was over.

The fourth quarter ended at 8:15, a tie of 10-10. There would have to be an overtime.

"This is barbaric! That boy had to be carried off the field!" Kid exclaims, pointing to where some kid lay on the bench.

"Tsu-Tsubaki? It's almost 8:30 now... An-and I have to be home by nine." Crona said, leaning over to look at Tsubaki. Tsubaki sighs a little. I know she really wants to stay and finish the game, but she couldn't let Crona get in trouble.

"Alright. We'll leave now. Goodbye guys!" She said, standing and waving.

"I'll text you and let you know how it ends." I said, smiling. Tsubaki nods appreciatively, and her and Crona make their way down the bleacher stairs. They disappear from sight.

The newly left spaces of Crona and Tsubaki allows more room for the rest of us. We slide to the right, leaving me now in between Kid and Maka. Kid made a loud sigh.

"Of course we have to stay here longer." He complains, crossing his arms over his chest. I hear Liz groan next to him.

"Why don't you try and enjoy the game instead of complaining about it?" She asks, looking at him annoyedly.

Kid scoffs. "I _have_ been watching the game. It's _you_ who's been glancing over at your sister every other minute." He said, smugly. Liz gapes at him, and stands angrily.

" _Of course_ , I'm going to watch over my little sister. I _care_ about her!" Liz snarls. Kid doesn't look fazed by her outburst, while Maka next to me is staring with an open mouth.

"Liz, it's okay. You're not doing anything wrong by watching over Patty." I said calmly. I wish Tsubaki was still here; she's better at resolving conflicts than I am.

"I didn't intend for it to be in a negative connotation, I was simply saying that you weren't watching the game either." Kid said matter-of-factly. Liz's face is red, and she's breathing heavily. She walks away from Kid and sits next to Maka, giving him the finger. He rolls his eyes and places his attention on the cuff of his sleeve. I sigh.

Before anyone could say anything else, the teams took the field. I watch with anxious eyes as the clock starts counting down.

If I thought they were rough before, I clearly had never seen an intense lacrosse game. Many players were kicked out of the game for being overly aggressive. Our team had the ball, the carrier running from the other team who looked ready to crush him. He threw the ball to Black Star, who waited in front of the goal. He caught it expertly, and turned to shoot. A faint "YAHOO!" could be heard from the field, but before Black Star could even wind his arm to shoot, an opposing team member body slammed him to the ground.

I gasp, standing from my seat. Black Star was sprawled on the ground, his attacker being yanked off of him by a referee and being handed a card. I see Soul rush to Black Star, helping him sit up. Fights were breaking out on the field while the referees and coaches tried to break them up.

"Animals." Kid mutters next to me. I look at Maka, who had her hands over her eyes. Liz sat with her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide. A golf cart rounds the corner, and Black Star is carefully lifted onto it. Once he's situated, the driver takes off.

"Where is he going?" I ask.

"No clue." Maka said. I sigh, wondering if I should leave this out when I text Tsubaki later about the game.

The buzzer goes off, signaling that the overtime is over. The score still remained tied.

"What now? Do they end it?" Maka asks. I shrug, not being one for knowing much about sports.

"No, they'll probably play until the next goal is scored." Liz explains. I'm surprised by her change in behavior towards Maka. She's probably embarrassed about her outburst at Kid.

I see Soul's familiar frame standing next to where Black Star once laid. The ball was placed in his stick, and he turns to face the next.

"Why is he getting the ball?" I ask.

"Penalty shot." Kid explains.

Players surrounded Soul as he stepped forward. At the refs whistle, 3 players charged him quickly. He dodged their bodies, and swung his stick. The ball sailed through the night air, perfectly aimed at the top right corner. The ball sunk into the back of the net. He had scored.

"Perfect shot." Kid admits, clapping as we all stood and cheered. His teammates ran to Soul and jumped on him, throwing their hands in the air and cheering.

A rampage for the parking lot ensued after the game. Liz left quickly to find Patty, claiming their parents would be pissed if they were late. Maka ran off the minute the game ended, saying she had to go meet her father in the parking lot. I was waiting outside of the stadium with Kid, who insisted on waiting with me until Soul met me at the car.

"Thanks for coming tonight. Did you have fun?" I ask.

Kid stood with his hands in his pockets, his hair being whipped by the wind. He smooths it down. "It isn't something I'd choose to do again, but it wasn't terrible." He said.

I sigh quietly to myself. Besides organization and precision, nothing seemed to please Kid.

"You really don't have to wait here with me. I'm sure Soul will be out soon." I insist. Kid shakes his head.

"I'm not going to leave you waiting here in a dark parking lot to wait for him. It's quite inconsiderate of him to leave you waiting here." He said, annoyance in his voice.

I shrug. "He scored the winning goal in their biggest game. I'm sure they're celebrating it." I said. Kid rolls his eyes.

We stood in silence for some time, my eyes watching the cars that passed us. The ringing of Kid's phone broke the silence.

"Hello? Dad? Yeah, the game's over. I'm waiting with Allie for her ride. No, I don't know if their on their way." He stepped away from me, talking angrily into his phone. I watch him as he begins pacing, throwing his hands in the air.

He eventually hangs up the phone, stomping back over to me.

"I'm sorry, my dad is being an inconsiderate fool. He wants me home now." Kid said, apologetically.

I shrug. "Don't worry, it's fine. There are still a lot of people here." I said, motioning towards the endless number of cars exiting the parking lot.

Kid gives me a stern look. "Text me when he meets you." He instructs. I'm reminded of when Soul gave me similar instructions a few nights ago. Except judging from the look on Kid's face, he'd be much more upset with me than Soul was if I forgot.

"Alright, I will." I said. Kid nods, and walks off to his car.

Never did I think the stadium would become a ghost town so quickly. The seemingly endless line of cars emptied out of the lot, leaving a few parked still. The lights went off in the stadium, forcing me to walk to Soul's car and wait under the light it was parked under. The parking lot had an eerie vibe to it. I pray Soul was almost done with whatever he was doing.

I pull out my phone, opening my conversation with Tsubaki.

 _A: We won! Soul scored the winning goal_

I wait for her answer, but judging by the time, I figured she was probably asleep. I'd have to wait until tomorrow.

Finally, I hear commotion coming from the field house. I look over, squinting in the darkness. 4 figures were walking towards the parking lot. I could not decipher any of them except for the one on the far left; that white hair gave him away every time.

I sigh in relief. His eyes flicker over to the car, seeing my frame leaning against the passenger door. He raises a hand to his friends, and starts jogging over to the car. Once he was close enough, I saw the large smile on his face. My lips curl up, grinning back at him.

He reaches me and drops his bag. I open my mouth to greet him, but he surprises me by wrapping his arms around me and giving me a hug. I gasp, my face reddening. He lets me go, a huge smile on his face.

"Gross, you're all sweaty!" I said, stepping away. He laughs, unlocking the car and throwing his bag in the back.

"Didn't keep you waiting for too long, did I?" He asks. I look towards the street, not wanting to mention I'd been waiting for almost an hour.

My silence is answer enough. He sighs and gets in the car. "I'm sorry. My coach gave a long speech and then the boys were congratulating me and then these scouts all wanted to interview me... I just couldn't get away." He explains.

"It's fine. That was an amazing game." I said, smiling. He smiles back, starting up the car. I quickly whip my phone out and text Kid before he could crucify me for forgetting.

"Well, going off of a great win, _and_ since I feel bad about making you wait so long, what do you say we get an ice cream?" Soul asks.

I shrug. "Sure. That's fine."

He grins, pulling the car onto the road and speeding away from the school.

 **I've actually never been to a lacrosse game before lol**

 **~Greenybean**


	11. Chapter 11

"Is Black Star alright? He took a pretty hard hit." I said. Soul scoffs, shaking his head.

"Yeah, he's fine. I thought he was hurt really badly too, but by the time I got over there he was yelling and trying to fight the kid that hit him. But he did break his collarbone, so he's out for the last few games." Soul said. I frown, feeling sorry for Black Star. He's always loved lacrosse.

Soul pulls into a spot, parking the car. I glance up at the sign to see where he picked. My eyes widen, and I feel my heart rate speed up. Death City Scoops. The last time I was here had been 2 years ago, with Soul.

 _It was right after Soul had been given his car on his 16th birthday. He wanted to take it for a spin. His mother, not wanting him to go alone, suggested taking me somewhere. The unanimous decision between the two of us was to get ice cream._

 _We came to this ice cream parlor that night. It was a beautiful night. The stars shone brightly in the sky and the moon illuminated the streets. Soul had insisted on eating outside to enjoy the weather, and I had agreed._

 _We leaned on the front of his new car. I was still licking my cone; he'd already finished. "Do you like your new car?" I asked. He shrugged, making me gape._

 _"Yeah. It's great. Wasn't what I was expecting, nor was it something I particularly wanted." He explained._

 _"What did you want that was better than a car?!" I asked, appalled. Soul glanced at me, his red eyes lighter in the moonlight. He smiled a little, making me raise an eyebrow. Then, without warning, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine._

 _I nearly dropped my ice cream from the surprising action. Just as quickly as it happened, it ended. He pulled away, a devilish smirk on his lips. He laughed as I touch my fingers to my lips._

 _"Wha-what was that for?" I asked, a strange feeling in my chest._

 _He shrugged. "What I wanted for my birthday." At my confused face, he sighed annoyedly. "That was your first kiss, right?" He asked. I nodded, my eyes wide. I probably looked like an idiot._

 _"That's what I wanted. Your first kiss. Your lip virginity, if you will." He said, laughing._

 _"Why?" I asked, my voice cracking. This was so embarrassing. It was probably the worst kiss he'd ever had._

 _He shrugged a little, a small smile on his face. "I don't know. Thought you might want your first kiss to be with your best friend." He said gently. I nodded slightly. My body felt light, as if I was floating._

 _"Was it okay?" He asked._

 _"I-I guess so. I was probably terrible." I admitted. He laughed, running a hand through his pale hair._

 _"Don't worry, it was fine. But, that isn't fine." He said, pointing at my melting ice cream cone. I cursed, watching as the liquid ran down my arm. Soul handed me a couple of napkins, and I began wiping myself off. I felt even more embarrassed as he sat there watching me desperately trying to wipe the sugary liquid off of my arm. When I looked at him, he had a smile on his face._

 _"This isn't funny." I said sternly._

 _"I'm not laughing." He said, holding his hands up like he was innocent. I scoff as he begins to laugh. I walk over to the trash can, throwing away the napkins. With my back to him, I run my fingers over my lips again. They felt tingly, almost like an electric current had run through them._

 _"C'mon, if I keep you out past curfew your mother will never let you out with me again." Soul called. I turned to see him getting in the car. I take a deep breath, and walk back towards the car._

The memory made my limbs go numb. I open my door slowly, practically seeing my 16 year old self standing at the front of the car with a shocked expression on her face.

"Allie?" Soul asks. He was already at the door, holding it ajar. I realize I was still standing in front of the car, looking down at it. I snap back to my sense, and run to meet him at the door.

"Sorry. Lost in thought." I explain. He grins, walking with me over to the counter. We place our order, and he begins taking out his wallet.

"I got it." I said, handing the cashier a twenty. She quickly puts it in the register. Soul gawks at me as I am handed back my change.

"I would've gotten it." He grumbles as we sit at a booth with our ice cream. I shrug.

"Consider it my treat. Besides, you got me coffee earlier this week." I said. He rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, but that was like two bucks. This was at least four dollars." He said, motioning towards his sundae.

"Well, it's an early birthday present too then." I said, smiling. He grins, shoving a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

"Are you excited?" I ask.

His eyes light up. "To get older? Not really. But I'm throwing a huge party next Friday to celebrate. That's what I'm excited for." He explains, smiling.

Soul had been raving about this party for weeks now. He wanted it to be a big deal, considering it'd be his last birthday at home. He'd invited practically everyone in the senior class. I hadn't told him if I was going or not yet, and judging by the look on his face, he was going to grill me about it now.

"You're coming, right?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. I stare into his red eyes, and he stares right back. Finally, I sigh and look away. He groans.

"Allie, come on. I really want you to come, you'll have fun. I invited Tsubaki and all of them." He encourages.

"I doubt they're going to go, Soul." I said. He sighs, looking defeated. He probably already knew that.

"Yeah... But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go. You like Maka, right? She said she was hanging out with you during the game. She'll be at the party, you can hang out with her." He suggests.

"When did you see Maka?" I ask, anger coursing through me. _Of course_ Maka was going. And of course she'd already talked to Soul this evening.

"She met me at the locker rooms after the game." He explains. I make an "oh" sound, and resist rolling my eyes. He frowns at me.

"You okay? You've barely touched your ice cream." He said, pointing at my untouched bowl. I glance down at it too, picking up the spoon and twirling it around.

"I'm fine." I lie.

Soul groans and leans back, running his hands down his face. "No. Don't be like that. Don't be that girl who's clearly upset and won't tell anybody what's wrong." He said.

I sigh. "I just... I don't know. I feel so confused." I said.

Now he looks concerned. "Why?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowed.

Because I don't know how I feel about you, I want to say. Because I don't know how to act towards Maka when she starts talking about you, I want to say. Because you brought me to the same ice cream parlor where you kissed me, I want to say. But instead, I just shrug. Because sometimes you can't always say what you want.

Soul's concerned face turns to annoyed. He crosses his arms over his chest and raises an eyebrow. I return his look and smile. "But you know what? Tonight's not supposed to be about me, it's about you and your win! Yay!" I said, picking up a spoonful of ice cream and shoving it in my mouth.

He shakes his head. "I don't understand why you won't just tell me what's wrong. What's there to be afraid of?" He asks. I sigh, ignoring his question by eating my ice cream. He rolls his eyes, running a hand through his hair.

He waited until I finish my ice cream, looking at me with a confused face. Once I finish, I throw my trash away and meet him at the door. We walk back to the car, when he stops. He places a hand on the front of it.

"Remember the last time we were here?" He asks.

I've only been thinking about it all night, I want to say. But instead I pretend to think a moment, and then scowl. "Yeah. When my ice cream melted all over me and you _laughed_." I said accusingly.

He laughs. "Hey, I didn't laugh until you start frantically wiping your skin like a madwoman. But that wasn't the memory I was thinking of." He said, looking down at the car. I feel my cheeks redden. The same sensation that had filled my body that night filled it again as he looked at me, his red eyes seeming even darker. He grins.

"Two years later. Compare it to the kisses you've had within that time. Was it still okay?" He asks. I look down at the ground, not wanting to admit I'd never kissed anyone other than Soul. I'd never really spent much time trying to find guys, and they never seemed too interested in me.

I look at his waiting face and smile. "Yes."

Soul pulls into my driveway, stopping the car. "Did you talk to your mom about taking Becky? He asks. I look at him confused, and then realize he's talking about his car.

"You named it Becky?" I ask incredulously.

He laughs. "Yeah. Becky's a cool name, and she's a cool car." He explains.

"Okay... But to answer your question I did. And she said she already had set up a deal to get me a car for graduation. Thank you for the offer though." I said, smiling. I open the car door, stepping out into the night. I turn back and look at him. He's grinning, showing off all of his sharp teeth.

"What are you planning, Soul Evans?" I ask. He grins even wider.

"You'll see." He said, cryptically.

I roll my eyes. "Goodnight, Soul." I said.

"Night, Al." He winks at me as I close my door. He watches me as I walk up to my door. Once I unlock it, I wave. He waves back, and backs out of my driveway and into his own.

 **:)**

 **~Greenybean**


	12. Chapter 12

I was sitting lazily at my counter, sipping from a mug of coffee, when my phone began to ring. I flinch at the sudden sound, my mind still half asleep. I pick it up and slide to answer.

"Hello?" I ask, groggily. A bunch of noise could be heard through the receiver.

"Hey. Did I wake you?" Liz asks.

I wipe my eyes. "No. What's up?" I ask.

"Patty made me drag her to the mall, and now I'm sitting here all by myself like a loser. I texted Tsubaki, she didn't answer. Crona wouldn't want to go. You care to join me?" She asks.

I try not to feel a little pain in the fact that I was her last option to invite. "Y-yeah. I'll meet you at the mall in 15 minutes."

"Great. Meet me near Deathbucks."

I dress quickly and run back downstairs to find my mom. She was in the kitchen, washing some dishes in the sink.

"Can I meet Liz at the mall?" I ask.

"Yeah, how long do you think you'll be there?" She asks. I shrug. "Well, don't forget you have to tutor today." She said.

"Yes, I know. I'll see you later, mom." I said, grabbing the car keys and kissing her cheek. I walk out the door and towards the car. I glance at Soul's house, and to my surprise, see a car pulling out of the driveway. I find Soul's white hair sitting in the passenger seat, and his mom behind the wheel. His head turns in my direction, and he grins when he sees me.

He rolls down the window, and I wave. "What're you doing tonight?" He shouts.

"Tutoring until 7 at school." I shout back. I see him shake his head, chuckling. I blush slightly.

"I'll be picking you up." He said. I raise an eyebrow, and he winks. His mom waves goodbye and they drive out of the block.

I found Liz immediately when I arrived at the mall, her long brown hair giving her away every time. She was already holding a beverage, a look of annoyance on her face. After I got my coffee, having never finished my cup from earlier, Liz and I began walking through the mall.

"I couldn't _believe_ when Patty walked into my room this morning, demanding I take her to the mall! The nerve of that girl sometimes." Liz groans, collapsing on a bench. I sit beside her, looking around at the nearly empty mall.

"What is she even doing here? Most of the stores don't open until 10." I said, motioning towards the surrounding stores. With the exception of some, most still had their doors shut.

Liz shrugs. "There was some big sale at this one place she likes to shop." Liz explains. I make an O shape with my mouth.

Out of all the people in our friend group, I felt Liz was going to be the best mother. Despite her tough demeanor and coldness towards new people, she was probably the most caring and protective person I'd ever met. She takes better care of Patty than most parents do their own children. It shouldn't be a surprise; Liz was practically Patty's mom.

Liz and Patty's past was a mystery to me. Liz only ever shared small details that gave the basic outline. Apparently their parents hit hard times and abandoned the two girls at an orphanage in the sketchier parts of Death City. The two spent a few years there and were eventually adopted.

"What did you get on Ms. Mjolnir's test?" Liz asks.

"97." I answer. She scoffs, throwing her hands up in the air.

 _"How?_! I got a 63!" She exclaims.

"Did you study?"

"Yes! Maybe? Sorta? Ugh, I hate studying." I give her a look, and she sighs, sitting back. She runs her hands down her face and groans.

"Once Sharon and Thomas find out, I'll never drive my car again. I've failed every one of my tests this week." Liz confesses. Liz never referred to her adoptive parents as mom and dad; only as Sharon and Thomas. It often took me a second to realize whom she was talking about when she casually threw them into conversation like that.

"You should come to the tutoring today. Not only do we review for school, but we also go over study and organization skills." I said, excitedly.

Liz scoffs. "Yeah, there's no way in hell I'd spend my Saturday night at school."

"Then what were you planning on doing?"

"I don't know, probably play some league at Kid's house." She said, referring to the online game the two were constantly playing. I roll my eyes.

"What's the deal with you and Kid? Are you two kinda like talking?" I ask.

Liz and Kid were practically joined at the hip. Even though they argued quite often, they were closest with each other and spent a lot of time together. I'd always speculated the two were something more than friends, but judging by the look on Liz's face, I'm completely wrong.

" _Kid?!_ No! Absolutely not! Jeez, just cause you're friends with a boy doesn't mean you're romantically involved." She scoffs.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything offens-"

"How would you like it if everyone always asked if you and Soul were a thing?" She asks annoyedly. I gasp and look away, feeling my cheeks redden.

We sat in silence for a few moments, and eventually Liz sighs. "Sorry, didn't mean to jump down your throat. Just getting sick of being asked that. _Everybody_ asks me that."

"I'm sorry, I know it's really annoying."

"It is! I don't even see Kid like that. And even if I did, I'd be out of luck."

"Why?"

Liz shrugs. "He likes someone."

I gape. _"What?! Who?!"_ I exclaim.

"I don't know. He won't tell me, which is extremely aggravating." Liz said.

I don't think Kid was capable of developing romantic feelings for someone else. I thought the only things he felt passionate about was symmetry and student government.

"When did he tell you?" I ask.

"Last night, while we were playing. I kinda suspect that chick you introduced me to last night."

"Maka? Why?"

"Because he's never mentioned it before he met her." Liz explains. I make a face, and Liz looks at me inquisitively.

"Do you like her?" She asks, sipping her coffee.

I shrug. "I don't know, I've only talked to her a few times."

"But just now you looked so annoyed when I brought her up. And last night you were acting kinda weird around her; even Crona noticed it."

I open my mouth to argue, but sigh instead. Liz's hardened expression softens a little. "Hey, you can tell me. I don't even know her."

"She's not a mean or bad person... I think she's nice and means well. But I just..."

"Does this have something to do with Soul? Those two have been together every day at school." Liz guesses. I tense at her words, and she gives a knowing smile. "Ah, so it _does_ have to do with Soul."

I look at the ground, too embarrassed to look at Liz. "She just waltzed in and took him from me." I said. I cover my mouth with my hands, in awe that I'd just said that.

Liz sits back satisfactorily. She grins. "I've always known you liked Soul. I _called_ it." She said.

"I didn't realize my feelings for him until Maka came along. He talks to her all the time, and he's always flirting with her." I complain.

"You're jealous."

I sigh and put my head in my hands. "Yeah. I've got jealousy to the extreme."

Liz laughs and pats my back. "It's okay, Allie. Don't think of it as Maka being in the lead, just consider it competition."

I open my mouth to say something when someone yells. Liz jumps 10 feet in the air, screaming and hiding her face. The familiar blue eyes of her sister are visible as she laughs hysterically, pointing at her sisters cowering frame.

"You're _such_ a scaredy cat, Liz!" Patty exclaims.

"Well, when someone comes and fucking _yells_ in your ear unexpectedly, you get a little jumpy." Liz retorts, pushing her hair out of her face. Many eyes were drawn to us as Liz continues fussing and Patty remains in hysterics. It wasn't until she regained control that Patty noticed me sitting there.

"Oh, hey Allie! Didn't see you there!"

"Hey Patty, did you get anything at the store?" I ask, motioning towards her bags. She smiles and puts them on the ground, proceeding to show me every single thing she'd gotten at the store.

Patty Thompson wasn't as hard as Liz was. She was sweet and meant well, but was quite naive and acted like an airhead. I'm sure the maturity will come with age, considering she's still a sophomore.

"Oooh, I think more stores are opening now! Let's look around!" Patty exclaims, running into a nearby store. Liz sighs, standing from the bench. I follow her into the store.

I'd never been one for shopping. I don't like trying things on, I don't like sifting through racks and racks of clothes, I don't like annoying sales associates, and despite how hard I try to find clothes that are "trendy" or "cool", I can never find any. And wouldn't it be just my luck to be stuck with two girls who absolutely love all of those things.

"Well?" Liz asks, stepping out of the dressing room. She had on a flowy pink skirt. I sat on the chair in the dressing room, admiring the skirt, while Patty wrinkled her eyebrows.

"I like it. Very soph-" I began.

"This is the most maternal fucking skirt I've ever seen." Liz exclaims, unzipping the skirt quickly. Patty laughs as I sit there in surprise. I sigh and sit back.

"I thought it looked nice!" I exclaim.

Patty shrugs. "It looks like something Sharon would buy."

Liz walks out of the dressing room, holding all the hangers she'd brought over her shoulder. "Let's ditch. This place sucks." She said. Another customer in the dressing room shot us a dirty look, and I gave an apologetic smile.

Liz hangs her stuff on a rack and walks out, glancing around the mall.

"Liz! This place has prom dresses!" Patty calls, standing in front of a window display. Liz and I walk to the store, admiring the long gowns on the mannequins.

"Patty, you're not even going to prom!" I exclaim. But Patty had already entered the store. Liz chuckles next to me.

"No harm in trying, right?" She asks, walking in. I sigh, following her.

I hadn't given much thought to prom. After the disaster last year, a part of me really isn't interested in going, yet another part of me reminds myself it's my senior prom and I should go. Liz notices my hesitation as I stare longingly at the gowns.

"What are you thinking about?" She asks, shifting through some hangers. Patty appears beside her, looking at each as Liz moved through them. I shrug.

"Prom. I'm not sure if I want to go." I explain. Patty gasps.

"You _have_ to go to prom, Allie!" She exclaims, her blue eyes wide. Liz looks at me inquisitively as well. I suddenly feel very conscious of the attention we're attracting in the store, and I feel my face heat up.

"I-I mean I probably will, it's just..." I said quietly, my gaze shifting to my feet.

"This isn't about last year, is it?" Liz asks, her tone gentle. I nod, still looking at the ground. I hear her sigh, along with Patty asking what we on earth we were talking about. Liz shushes her and ushers us all out of the store.

"We should all just go as a group, it'd probably be way more fun. Plus, I'd rather just do my own thing than worry about what my date wears or how we're getting there or when we're taking pictures... Would you be in if we just went all together?" Liz asks.

I smile and nod, and Liz smiles too. Patty sighs. "I wish I could go to prom too." She whines. Liz rolls her eyes.

"Next year, Patty." I said, smiling. Her face lights up at my words.

"Let's get a plan together with Tsu and Crona to dress shop next weekend." Liz instructs. I nod, pulling out my phone to set a reminder.

Patty jumps up and down next to us. "I wanna come, I wanna come!" She said, excitedly. Liz sighs, looking to me for help, but I just laugh.

"Maybe. We'll see. Anyway, while we're here, I'm in desperate need of shorts." Liz said, already starting towards a store. I sigh and follow, already wishing I'd stayed home.

After 3 hours at the mall, the only things I'd gotten were lunch, a t-shirt, and a headache. At the pace Liz and Patty were moving, I doubted we would even get through the mall. When we reached the exit, I practically ran to my car to avoid being dragged into another store.

I got home closer to 2, leaving me about an hour to relax before tutoring. I open the door to my house, the comfort of home making me relax. That is, until I saw my mom standing nervously by the doorway.

I drop my bag, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "Mom? What's the problem?" I ask. She fiddles with her bracelet, a habit she did when she had bad news. I bite my lip, bracing myself.

"Remember a few days ago, when Ms. Evans was here? And I told you about the issues with her ex husband?" She asks. I nod.

"Well, her lawyer called her today. Apparently her ex husband is pulling a ton of false information and making accusations. She said it's imperative she get to Death City to straighten things out."

"So she goes into Death City for a day or so, what's the main concern?" I ask. My mother sighs.

"It's not as simple as _a day or so_ , Allie. At this rate, he'll probably take her to court... And she'd be driving back and forth from here to the city. She'd have to get a hotel in the city an-"

"And leave Soul at the house by himself?!" I exclaim. My mother shakes her head.

"That's the problem. She has to go, but she doesn't want to leave Soul by himself." She said. I frown, thinking for a moment.

"He still doesn't know, does he?" I ask quietly. My mom shakes her head, making me sigh. At this point, Soul has to know. It was too serious for him to remain in the dark, to not know what's going on in his personal life.

"When does she have to go?" I ask quietly.

"Monday." My mom answers.

"Well, I'm sure Soul could stay at a friends house... But his mom is going to have to explain to him why." I said.

"I already offered the guest bedroom at our house. We'll see how it goes... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you all riled up before you had to go tutor. I just wanted you to know."

"Thank you for telling me." I said. I give a small smile, and my mom wraps me in a hug. In a daze, I run up to my room and grab my backpack. I check the time, figuring it was time to begin heading to school. I said goodbye to my mom and walk out to my car, the sight of Soul's house filling me with guilt.

 **I felt this story was in dire need of some Thompson sisters :) please continue to support this story!**

 **~Greenybean**


	13. Chapter 13

I wave goodbye to the librarian as I walk out of the library. The sun was setting, sending a glare into my eyes. I squint against the harsh light, trying to spot Soul's car. I still had no clue as to why he insisted on picking me up.

My stomach grumbled as I sat on a bench in the forum. 4 hours of tutoring had left me tired and hungry, but I had gotten some good cash out of it. I pull out my phone, distracting myself with a game until I heard an engine revving. I turn my phone off as a motorcycle pulls up in front of me. I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion until I can clearly make out messy white hair.

"No. Way." I said, standing up. Soul leans against the bike, hands in his pockets, grinning devilishly. So _this_ was what he deemed to be cooler than his car.

"Pretty cool, right?" He asks. I gape at the bike and at him.

"Your mother actually got you that?!" I exclaim.

Soul shakes his head. "No, she'd never get it for me. I've been saving for this baby since sophomore year." He explains. I remain rooted to the spot, staring agape at the vehicle and Soul.

He laughs. "Don't just stand there, come here." He insists. I move cautiously towards him, staring at the motorcycle. He watches me as I rest a hand on the seat.

"Is it safe?" I ask quietly. I'd never ridden on a motorcycle, and never thought I would. I'd heard so many horror stories of people getting seriously hurt on them.

"Yes, my mom never would've let me get it if it wasn't safe." Soul assures. I sigh, looking around for a helmet. I frown.

"Where are the helmets?" I ask, leaning over more to look on the other side. Soul shrugs, swinging himself onto the bike.

"Y'see, I just got this baby like a few hours ago, so I haven't had time to get anything." He said. I back away from the bike, my eyes wide. He sighs, his shoulders slumping. "Allie, it's fine."

"If we crash, we'll hit our heads and the-"

"We're not going to crash, I'm going to be super careful. Come on, it's getting dark." He urges. My legs feel like jello as I move towards the bike. Soul, now seated on the bike, scoots up so that I have more room. I sit on the cushioned seat, the scent of Soul's pungent cologne wafting into my nose.

"You'll have to hold onto me." Soul said loudly to be heard over the engine. I hesitantly reach my arms out, wrapping them around Soul's midsection. His shirt is thin, allowing me to feel the muscle that is there. My arms and hands tremble around his waist, and he places a comforting hand over them. I'm grateful he was facing forward or else he would've seen the blush on my face.

The motorcycle begins to move. My stomach rested in my throat, my heart going 100 miles an hour. I was probably choking Soul with the amount of force I clung to him with, but at the moment I didn't care. I ended up resting my entire body on his back, shutting my eyes as the wind whipped against us. I will myself to open my eyes. I make a sound of confusion as we drive past our neighborhood.

"Soul?" I ask. If he heard me, which I doubt he did over the engine, he didn't answer. We continue driving on, the only sound I could hear being the wind and the engine. Suddenly, I could make another faint sound out. It was calming and alien. It wasn't until we'd driven for a little longer that I finally saw the large body of water with the mountains in the distance. Why had Soul taken me to the lake?

The last time I'd been to the lake was fifth grade graduation. It was about 25-30 minutes away from where I lived. My mom was never a huge fan of swimming, but she'd reluctantly agreed to bring me to the lake to celebrate my fifth grade graduation.

 _"Alright! Let us put sunscreen on the both of you befo-" my mom didn't even get a chance to finish before Soul and I had hopped out of the car and were running towards where our friends were playing. Liz and Kid sat in the sand, digging in the sand with a 9 year old Patty. Tsubaki stood on the shoreline, watching as Black Star ran wildly through the water._

 _Soul took of his shirt and ran to join Black Star in the water while I ran to where Kid, Liz, and Patty were._

 _"Hi Allie!" Liz exclaimed, handing me a shovel to dig with. I greeted them all, and began digging with them._

 _"Allie, come stand next to me. That way it'll be symmetrical." Kid instructed. I moved a little closer to him, and continued digging. Patty shouted, reaching into our hole and pulling out a small shell._

 _"HERMIT CRAB!" She yelled loudly. We stared in awe at this poor creature as it tried hiding in its shell. We'd ran to show the others, and eventually we all joined Soul and Black Star in the water. It had been cold, and there weren't any waves to jump around in, but we didn't care._

 _The chicken fights occurring between Soul, Black Star, Liz, and Patty ended with Black Star falling off of Soul's shoulders and onto my head. It hadn't hurt enough to cry, but I exited the water to take a break. Kid joined me in the shade, and we talked. We didn't realize Black Star and Soul were in front of us until water from Black Star's hair dripped onto my leg._

 _"Allie, Soul told me I had to come apologize for falling on you. So, I'm sorry." He said, kicking at the sand. Kid scoffed at his apology, but I shrugged._

 _"It's okay." I said. Black Star grinned and ran off, but Soul remained in front of us. He grinned and knelt down in front of me, his white hair wet and dripping._

 _"Here!" He said happily, handing me a seashell. It was white and pure, no cracks. I take it and smile._

 _"Thanks Soul." I said quietly, placing the seashell next to me in the sand. He smiled and stood up, running after Black Star. I looked over at Kid, who looked like he wanted to murder somebody._

 _"Are you okay?" I asked. Kid snapped out of his daze and nodded._

 _"Yeah. Fine." He said, looking angrily in Soul's direction._

"Wha-the lake?" I ask as Soul parks the bike. He turns it off, and I reluctantly remove my arms from his waist. He gets off of the bike, gazing over the water.

"Yeah." He said, walking to the shore. The wind was wild, blowing my hair around crazily. I follow Soul to the sand, where he sat looking at the lake. The small waves crashed on the shore, the sky making the water look black and inky.

"Why the lake?" I ask as I plop down next to him. He put his hands behind him, leaning back.

"Felt like it." He said. I shrug to myself, staring up at the stars.

I feel Soul's eyes on the side of my face as I sit there. Finally, he speaks. "So what did you do today?"

"Well, this morning I met Liz and Patty at the mall, and then I went to tutor. What'd you do?"

"Got the bike today, that took a while. Shopping? Thought you hated shopping."

"I _do_. They dragged me in every store and made me try on so much stuff. I think I still have sparkles on me from the prom dresses." I said, looking down at the shimmers on my arm. Soul laughs.

"You excited for prom?" He asks.

"I guess, I think we're just going to go as a group. Don't want any repeats from last year." I said.

"Oh yeah, last year. I still need to beat Kilik for that. That was so uncool." Soul said through clenched teeth. I laugh a little, and he bumps his shoulder into mine. A strange feeling of nerves course through me at his actions, but I will them away. We are two _friends_ talking about our lives. Nothing more.

"Water under the bridge. I'm over it." I said. Soul chuckles slightly.

"You are _so_ not over it, liar." He said. I open my mouth to argue, but I give up. He laughs again, making me blush.

"Well what about you? Are you going to prom?"

"Yeah, I'll go. Not sure who I'll go with." My ears perk up at this. Surely if he and Maka were talking, he'd ask her without hesitation.

"Oh." I said. A comfortable silence settles in as we stare at the sky, the water quietly lapping on the shore. I burry my vans in the sand, watching as the grains roll over my laces.

"Heard back from any schools?" He asks.

"I got into University of Nevada, but I'm still waiting to hear from Sierra Nevada. I really hope I got in."

"I'm sure you did. What are you, second in the class?"

"Third."

"Third?! Who's beating you?"

"Well Kid is valedictorian, Ox is salutatorian, and I'm third." I explain. Soul scoffs, shaking his head.

"You could've easily been valedictorian." He mutters. I shrug.

"What about you? College?" I ask. Soul's eyes fall to the ground, his lips bit in concentration.

"I don't really know yet. I got denied from California State, and I'm getting tons of lacrosse scholarship offers. I'll probably just take the one that gives me the most amount of money." He chuckles. "I don't even know what I want to do yet." He admits.

"That's okay. You still have time to declare a major." I said reassuringly. Soul shakes his head, his white hair now a mess from the wind. He runs a hand through it. "I thought you didn't want to play lacrosse anymore."

"I don't really have a choice anymore, Al. I'm not getting an education scholarship anytime soon, it's all I got." He said. He looks back up at the sky, running his hands over his face. That same confusion he had a few days ago is back in his eyes.

"Let's not think about the future." I said quietly. He finally looks at me, his red eyes bright in the moonlight.

"Please don't say let's live in the now." He whispers. I bite my lip to keep from smiling.

 _"Let's live in the now._ " I said. Soul groans, gently shoving my shoulder. I fall into the sand, laughing.

"So cliché." He said, shaking his head. He's finally smiling, his shoulders relaxed. I sit back up, shaking sand out of my hair, when I feel his hand enclose mine. My eyes widen as I look from our entwined hands to his eyes.

"Y'know, I'm really going to miss you next year." He said quietly. I give his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry, we'll never be too far apart." I said, smiling. But deep down, I felt the same way. I had no clue what life would be like next fall. For all I know, Soul could be on the opposite side of the country. As could I. He traces his thumb against the inside of my palm.

"Hopefully." He said, looking down at our hands. I pray he doesn't notice how sweaty it is. He squeezes it and let's it go, putting his hand back where it was. I put mine in my lap, awkwardly clasping it with the other. Soul's eyes suddenly widen.

"Holy shit, did you ever eat?" He exclaims. I shake my head, still in a daze from our previous contact. He stands, wiping sand off of his pants, and extends a hand to help me up. "C'mon, let's grab something and I'll take you home."

After some greasy burgers and fries, Soul parked the motorcycle in my driveway. The second time on it hadn't been as bad as the first time, but I still clung to Soul for dear life. I release my arms from his waist and step off the bike. He smiles as I pull my keys out of my bag.

"See ya around." He said lazily, leaning his hands on the handles. I smile back, walking up to the door. I turn one last time, and he winks at me. I face the door so he can't see my blush. That _damn_ wink.

 **I originally wanted to put the two on the beach but Nevada is land locked so that wouldn't have made any sense XD**

 **I also wanted to announce that I will be posting another fanfiction! Boy Next Door isn't ending, don't worry :). This new one will be a SoMa fanfiction, because even though I am writing an OCxSoul story, they are my OTP**

 **~Greenybean**


	14. Chapter 14

"No." Kid said flatly. It was Monday morning, and we were in Ms. Mjolnir's class. I was trying to convince the group to come with me to Soul's party Friday, but Kid's answer seemed unanimous amongst the group.

"Oh, come on. It won't be that bad." I said encouragingly. Ms. Mjolnir giggles from her desk, and we turn our attention to her. She hides her face behind a stack of papers, but her blush is obvious.

"Sorry, didn't mean to be so nosy. I just couldn't help but listen." She said apologetically.

"Well, what would you do Ms. M? Would you go to a party if there were a ton of people there you didn't like and you knew you'd be miserable?" Kid asks. I roll my eyes at his exaggeration. Ms. Mjolnir put a finger to her lips, as if thinking.

"Hmm, I would go for a little while with my friends and then leave." She answers. I give Kid a look, who rolls his eyes.

"That's what _she'd_ do. _I_ don't have to do that." He said. Ms. Mjolnir nods, making me groan.

"We could go for a _little_ while Kid, it won't kill you." Tsubaki said quietly. I turn to Liz, who shrugs. By the time my eyes reach Crona, she's already shaking her head.

"M-my mother would never let me g-go to a party. I'm sorry." She said, hiding her face in her hands. Tsubaki pats her gently on the shoulder.

"I'm not going. I don't care what you all do." Kid said, crossing his arms over his chest. Just then, Mr. Barrett's tall frame walked through the doorway.

"Marie, I just ran out of staplers. Do you have anymore?" He asks. She shakes her head, standing from her desk.

"No, I'm sorry. But I know Stein has some, I'll get them!" She said excitedly, dashing out of the room. It was pretty blatant to everybody that Ms. Mjolnir loved Mr. Stein, but we let her believe she had us fooled.

"What are you guys chatting about?" Mr. Barrett asks, pulling a chair down and sitting next to Kid. Kid sighs exasperatedly, motioning towards me.

" _This one_ wants to drag everybody to a party Friday filled with people we don't like. Back me up, Mr. Barrett. What would you do?"

"Well, I'd go. Just to enjoy the experience. That's the kind of boy I used to be. Now I'm old and boring." He said sadly, gazing out the window. Kid slams a hand on the table, making us jump. His eyes are on me, rage in his eyes.

"I don't CARE what you do, or what anyone says, I am NOT going to this party! I do _not_ like parties, I do _not_ like the people that are going, and I most CERTAINLY don't want to spend my Friday night celebrating _Soul Evans_." He yells. His sudden outburst left me speechless, mouth agape. He stood panting at the desk, challenging anyone to argue with him.

"My, an outburst so early on a Monday morning? Someone must be quite upset." Someone said from the doorway. Stein stood with Ms. Mjolnir, whose hands were over her mouth. Kid's face went beet red as he sat down, avoiding eye contact with everybody there. Mr. Barrett looked as stunned as everybody else. He stood awkwardly from his seat and joins the other teachers at the doorway.

"Okay then." Liz said, her eyes going back to her cuticles. Crona trembles in her seat, Tsubaki trying desperately to calm her down. I stare Kid down, forcing the tears that want to spill away. He picks head up slightly from his hands, his eyes meeting mine.

I shake my head. "Screw you, Kid." I said as a tear rolls down my cheek. I hastily stand from my chair, grabbing my bag. Tsubaki and Liz call out to me as I push past the teachers and run down the hallway towards the bathroom. I push past crowds of people and open the bathroom door, greeted by the sight of Blair putting lipstick on in the mirror. She sees me in the mirror, and pouts her lips.

"Aw, someone with such a sweet face like you shouldn't be crying." She said, making a sad face. I stand still in the doorway, watching as she clicks over to me in her heels. She wipes my cheeks with her thumbs and grins. " _Much_ better. And look! You don't have any runny makeup! Waterproof is a god sent."

"I don't have any makeup on." I said, dumbly.

She gasps. "Your eyelashes are _NATURALLY_ that long?! Ugh, I hate you!" She said, slapping my arm. She giggles, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the mirror. "I'll fix you up if you want." She said, smiling kindly.

Blair's kindness shocks me more than Kid's outburst. I always assumed by her reputation with boys that she wasn't a very nice person, but I was completely wrong. I can't help but feel guilty for judging her so quickly.

"Th-thank you, but I don't really like makeup. I'm sorry." I explain. She nods, recapping her mascara.

"Anyway, what caused you to be so sad?" She asks.

I sigh. "My friend just kinda exploded on me." Blair raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to elaborate, but I just shrug. Because in all honesty, I don't know why Kid exploded. I didn't think he'd want to go, but to throw a tantrum over it? There was obviously a deeper rooted issue that he wasn't telling me.

The bell rings, interrupting me from my thoughts. "Let's get going." Blair said, picking up her purple backpack and opening the door. She walks next to me in the hallway, smiling and winking at boys who whistle at her. I'm thankful she's there; her presence takes attention away from my red face and occasional sniffles.

I say goodbye to her as I reenter Ms. Mjolnir's room. More students were in the room now. Ms. Mjolnir gave me a look of sympathy as I walk back over to my seat. I can feel my friends' eyes on me as I sit down, but I refuse to look at them. I pull my materials out when my phone vibrates. Liz and Tsubaki were texting me in a group chat.

 _T: We wanted to go after you but Stein said you needed space_

 _L: Are you okay? You can ask Tsubaki, I already cursed Kid out for yelling at you like that_

 _T: She did, it was quite vulgar_

 _A: Don't put yourselves in the middle of this, I don't want him mad at you too_

 _L: He's a wimp, why he thinks it's okay to yell at you like that and then hide away like a coward is beyond me_

 _T: Why did he have such a harsh reaction in the first place? It wasn't even that big of a deal_

 _A: There's probably a deeper rooted issue, I'll talk to him about it when the air is clear_

 _L: I'll talk to him if you'd rather_

 _A: No, the issue he has is with me, so I should resolve it_

 _T: Let us know if you need anything_

 _A: Thanks guys_

The tension was quickly replaced by embarrassment, for Kid proceeded to avoid me the entire day. He skipped out on lunch, and didn't look my way during math or science. At the end of the day, he was out of the room before I even stood from my seat.

Normally I walk with Kid and Tsubaki to the parking lot, where we'd eventually part ways and I'd meet Soul at the car. But with Kid gone, and Tsubaki running after him, I was left to walk with Soul and Black Star.

"And after he tackled me to the ground, I tried my hardest to stand and fight him. For if I am to surpass god, I must prove my greatness. But everyone, especially Soul over here, wouldn't let me stand up. Because I was _hurt._ But believe me, once this sling is off, Black Star will DESTROY the fool who decided to cross him. YAHOO!" Black Star shouts. The girls walking beside him were cheering and giggling, making me want to throw up. Soul chuckles quietly next to me.

"He's more full of hot air than a hot air balloon." Soul mutters. I laugh quietly, hoping Black Star doesn't hear me. But who am I kidding; he's cheering so loudly he probably wouldn't even hear a siren.

We part ways with Black Star, who insists on walking the girls to their cars. Soul and I walk to the motorcycle. "Are you going to get helmets today?" I ask.

"I doubt it, practice goes until 7:30 tonight. I'll get them by the end of the week." He promises. I didn't care as much as I did before about not wearing a helmet. Soul was very cautious when driving that I knew we wouldn't get into an accident, but the same couldn't be said for other drivers.

After a short ride, Soul was pulling into my driveway. He stops the bike, the missing sound of the engine allowing me to hear what's going on around me. I hear birds chirping, cars driving, but most noticeably, Soul sighing. I get off the bike and turn to face him.

"Why the sigh?" I ask. He runs a hand through his hair before looking up at me.

"When you walked into science today, Blair turned to me and was like that's the crying girl I saw in the bathroom this morning. I wasn't going to mention anything, but I can't ignore it. What happened?" He asks. Blair probably blabbed to the whole school that she'd seen a crying girl in the bathroom this morning. Damn her mouth.

"Oh uh, nothing. Just had a bad morning." I lie.

"You seemed fine when we got to school." Soul argues. I shake my head and look away from Soul's eyes. Why did I have to have such a dramatic reaction? Why did Kid have to yell at me about something that wasn't even a big deal? Why does Soul have to stare at me with those eyes? All these questions race through my head as I stand foolishly in front of him.

Finally, I sigh. " _I_ wasn't having a bad morning, but Kid was. And he kinda took it out on me. I was just upset." I said quietly, staring at my shoes.

" _Kid_ freaked out on you?! What'd he get mad about, the fact that your shirt only has a design on one half?" He asks, tugging at the fabric.

"No..." I said, wishing Soul would stop questioning me. But he doesn't.

"Than why? What caused it?"

I shrug. "Stupid reason. I think there's more to it. I wanted to talk to him about it, but he was avoiding me all day."

"Wait until tomorrow, he should be good by then. He'll probably need you for student council anyway." Soul said. I chuckle a little, making him grin. "I gotta get to practice, but I'll see ya around." He said, leaning lazily on the handlebars.

We say goodbye, he winks at me, I blush, and walk embarrassingly into the house. It's practically the same routine every time he drops me off.

 **Please continue supporting the story! Every follow, favorite, or review is appreciated! :)**

 **~Greenybean**


	15. Chapter 15

The sound of the washing machine greets me when I enter. I frown, knowing my mom already did her laundry this morning. She walks out of the laundry room holding a stack of towels. "Hey." She said, walking up the stairs.

I raise an eyebrow. "Hi? You're doing laundry again?" I ask, following her up the stairs. She opens the closet and places the folded towels on the rack.

"Well, sheets and towels and such." She explains. At my confused look, she sighs. "Ms. Evans is leaving for Death City tomorrow morning."

"Oh, she has to go?" I ask. My mom nods. "What about Soul?"

"He's staying with us. Only for a few days." She quickly adds. My heart rate picks up at her words.

I wasn't afraid about my _friend_ Soul staying at my house. We had sleepovers plenty of times as kids. No, I was nervous about my _crush_ Soul staying at my house. It's only for a few days, I tell myself. But knowing that I'll constantly see him makes my forehead break out in a nervous sweat.

"Oh." I said.

"His mom said she could try and contact some of his friends, but this really is the best option, Al. He's close to home if he needs anything, he knows the area, and he practically lived here when he was younger." My mom said. I nod, giving a small smile. I walk into my room and close the door, leaning against it and shutting my eyes.

"You should've seen Ms. Mjolnir's face when I called Kid a bitch ass hoe. Stein and Barrett were _dying_." A laughing Liz says from the other line. Tsubaki and I laugh as I switch the phone between my hands. Our three way phone calls (Crona didn't have a phone) always cheered me up.

"It was quite the show. And he just sat there and took it. He knew he did something wrong." Tsubaki said.

"Well, he did! No one screams at my friend and gets away with it." Liz said. I smile.

"I still don't even know why he freaked out about it. It really wasn't worth getting so upset." I said.

"There's... Definitely a deeper rooted issue." Tsubaki said quickly. Her hesitation made me raise an eyebrow. She was hiding something.

"He'll be fine tomorrow." Liz said cooly. She didn't sound nearly as nervous has Tsubaki just had, but judging by the fact that Liz didn't question Tsubaki on her statement, something told me they were in cahoots over whatever it was.

"I doubt it. He couldn't look at me all day." I said, planning my words carefully. I had to get it out of one of them.

"He was embarrassed." Tsubaki defends.

"Yeah, I mean, he totally flipped in front of our teachers. _And_ his friends." I said.

"Well, he's flipped in front of us before. That's not new." Liz said, her voice faltering slightly. They _definitely_ know something.

"Yeah, but never at one of us. Usually over stupid stuff. He probably hates me." I said, feigning sadness.

"No no no! Don't think like that Allie!" Tsubaki exclaims, desperation in her voice.

"But why wouldn't he?! I caused him to freak out in front of his teachers and friends! I'm the sole cause of it! I'd hate me too! He probably nev-"

"HE WASN'T EMBARRASSED!" Liz shouts into the receiver. I grin at my progress.

Tsubaki gasps. "H-he was emba-"

"No, Tsubaki. I can't play this game anymore. I'm not pussing out on this. Allie, he couldn't look at you because he was guilty and ashamed at his actions. That's what he told me."

"Guilty?! Ashamed?! Then why the hell did he do it!?" I exclaim.

Liz grunts. "Because he doesn't want to go to Soul's party, but you do! And he doesn't want you to go without him!"

"Liz!" Tsubaki shouts.

"Why does it concern him what I do?! I can take care of myself!" I exclaim. I'm surprised my mother hasn't come upstairs at the sound of me yelling.

"BECAUSE HE LIKES YOU! BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT YOU WITH SOUL!" Liz shouts. Everything falls silent; I can even hearing the ticking off my clock.

"L-Liz..." Tsubaki whispers. I hear loud breathing coming from Liz's line.

"H-he what?" I ask. This has to be wrong. Kid likes _Maka_. Liz and I established it on Saturday... So what the hell are they talking about?!

Liz takes a deep breath. "He likes you. He told Tsubaki and I on the way to the parking lot today." She confesses. "And if you think you're jealous of Maka, you're mistaken. Kid's jealously of Soul has reached new heights."

"Why is he jealous of Soul?" I ask. Liz groans.

"God, you're _so_ dense sometimes." She mutters.

"Liz, stop. Allie, he hates that Soul spends so much time with you and he doesn't. That's why." Tsubaki said gently.

And then it all makes sense. Why whenever Soul showed me attention, Kid got so angry. Why when I'd invite them to events, Kid would ask if Soul was going. Why he got so angry about the party: because it was Soul's party.

"I-I have to go." I said. Despite Tsubaki and Liz's asking, I hung up the phone and sprawled on my bed. What the _hell_ just happened?

 **Thank you to all of you who have shown support on this story. It really means the world to me, and encourages me to keep writing! I know this chapter was rather short, but I felt it needed its own chapter.**

 **~Greenybean**


	16. Chapter 16

Boy Next Door part 4

I doze off at some point, awaking in the early hours of Tuesday morning. I was still dressed in my clothes from the day before, and my mouth still tasted like dinner. For a split second, I wonder why I look and feel like such a mess. Then, I remember.

Kid. His feelings. Him yelling at me in class. My head begins to hurt as I am reminded of him. There's no way this is all true. Kid doesn't, cannot possibly like me. Yet the more I try to turn the idea away from myself, the more evidence comes to mind.

The beach in fifth grade: his rage at Soul for giving me the seashell.

Game night in sixth grade: he screamed at every body except me for messing up, when we all knew I was the biggest culprit.

Our seats in seventh grade: his yearlong grudge against our teacher for moving me away from him. I'd even ended up sitting near Soul.

Eighth grade formal: him abruptly leaving our lunch table, unseen for the rest of the day, when I agreed to not having a date to formal.

Homework in ninth grade: how pissed he was when I skipped out on game night to help Soul with homework.

My ride in tenth grade: his facial expressions when he'd see Soul and I walking from the parking lot together.

Elections last year: how happy he was that I wanted to run for Vice President.

Liz was right; I was dense. Very. Kid clearly has had a crush on me since the fifth grade, and I didn't even notice. I reach for my phone, which lay above my head on the pillow, leftover from my phone call last night. I turn the screen on, squinting at the sudden brightness. Many texts from Tsubaki and Liz, but one text catches my attention. One from Kid. Sent at 2:13 am.

 _K: Liz confessed that she told you. I think we need to talk._

That's it? No, "I'm sorry for screaming at you"? No long message about his feelings? Kid was probably one of the hardest people for me to read. I could only clearly tell when he was upset.

I stand from my bed and make my way to my bathroom, in desperate need of a shower. After a long hot shower, I dry off. I opt for leggings and a t-shirt instead of jeans; I didn't have it in me to wiggle into jeans.

I comb through my hair, staring at Kid's text. I should probably respond... But what on earth should I say? There was so much that needed to be discussed, and I'd rather not do it over text message. Once I finish combing and tie my hair in a braid, I begin typing.

 _A: I'd have to agree_

While it was a stupid statement, it at least didn't make me look angry. I sigh, about to click my phone off to await Kid's answer, when I see text bubbles in the conversation. I glance at the time, seeing it was only 6 in the morning. Had he slept at all last night?

 _K: Not over text message_

 _A: Yeah_

 _K: Would you like for me to pick you up and go to Deathbucks at 7 and then talk at school? No one will be there that early, we can talk in the library_

 _A: Okay see you then_

I read a little to pass the time. It does take my mind off of things more than anything else would, but I still find myself getting lost in thought. I put my book down and lay back on my bed, resting my eyes until it was time to go.

I quietly walk into the kitchen. My mom is already making coffee, and she looks surprised to see me. "You're up early, everything okay?"

"Yeah, I forgot I had to meet Kid at school early to... Work on student council stuff. He's coming to pick me up." My pause was so evident it made me cringe. My mom would have to be extremely gullible to believe that. But my mother's raised eyebrow told me I was wrong. I feign a smile, knowing I probably looked like a fool.

"Alright... Don't forget to text Soul and say you don't need a ride." My mom said. I nod, quickly walking out the door before she can ask anymore questions.

The street was dark, save for a few street lamps. I sit on my front step and pull my phone out to text Soul.

 _A: Have to go in early to work on some student council stuff, so I won't need a ride_

I send the text, knowing for a fact that Soul was not awake yet. If he was, he'd have a lot of explaining to do as to why he was always late in the morning.

Kid's headlights blind me as his black car pulls into my driveway. I stand and walk to the car, opening the passenger door. The smell of vacuum and air fragrance greets me as I slide in. "Morning." He said, backing out of the driveway.

"Good morning." I said, quietly. His yellow eyes quickly move past me and back to the road. The silence is awkward. I gaze out the window at the sights I see everyday. The familiar green glow of the Deathbucks sign flashes before me as Kid pulls into a space.

He holds the door for me as we walk in. I order a medium black coffee, while he gets a latte. I pull my wallet out, but he's already thrusting some dollar bills towards the cashier. I mumble a thank you, stuffing my wallet back in my bag.

Our beverages are ready quickly, saving us from the pain of having to talk to each other. I hope Kid sees as much as I do that we are making no progress right now. I grab my cup, and he lifts the lid off of his. He scoffs. "Look how slanted this foam is. So unsymmetrical." He mutters, evening the foam with his finger. I smile a little at his strange obsession with symmetry.

We get back in the car and drive to the school. Just like Kid said, the place was empty except for a few cars here and there. He leads me through the hallways and through the familiar doors of the library.

My favorite feature of the library was the lighting. While all the classrooms and hallways had bright fluorescent lighting, the library's lights had a darker glow. They gave the room a more comforting, more inviting feeling. But the quick sense of comfort I get vanishes quickly as I'm reminded why I'm here; not to read or do homework, but to talk about something that could potential ruin a friendship 12 years in the making.

Kid sat at a table, and I sat across from him. For a moment, we just stare at each other. It was one of the most awkward experiences I had ever had. Finally, I sigh.

"Kid, I don't really think I'm the one that needs to do the explaining here." I said. He sets his lips in a thin line, flexing his jaw.

"I know. I'm trying to decipher what to say." He explains. I quietly sit as he stares as his hands, his fingers nervously hitting the table. At last, he takes a deep breath.

"First I want to apologize for my outburst yesterday morning. It was uncalled for and wrong of me. I felt guilty about it all day."

I wait a minute to see if he'll say more, but he seems to be awaiting a response from me. "I-it's okay." I stutter, not sure what else to say. He sighs, shaking his head.

"No, it's not okay. It was awful."

"Then why'd you do it?! I'm sick of beating around the bush, Kid. I don't want an apology, I want a reason." I said. Kid's face went white as his mouth opened and closed like a fish. He was at a loss for words.

"I-I.." He stutters, his eyes back on his hands. I sigh, drumming my fingers on the table as I wait for more of an answer. He doesn't give one.

I take a deep breath, not wanting to shout or get angry. "You don't want me to go to Soul's party... Is it because it's Soul's party?" I ask. He doesn't answer, but I see his demeanor falter. I smile to myself in satisfaction.

I try to recall what Liz and Tsubaki told me earlier. "Does your feelings for me have something to do with your hatred towards Soul?" I ask.

Kid puts his hand on his chin, finally looking up at me. "No, I don't like Soul because he's annoying." He said, muffled by his hand. I raise an eyebrow, and he sighs. He places his hand at his side. "Honestly it's not a big deal. Yes, I admire you as a person and think very highly of you, but that has nothing to do with not wanting to go to Soul's party or not liking Soul himself. No, I don't like that you two are friends, but that's my opinion. I don't want our friendship to change." He admits.

"I don't either." I said. Kid smiles slightly, his stern look disappearing. His eyes bore into mine as I searched for signs of dishonesty, but once again my inability to read Kid prevents it.

"Great." He said softly, turning around and shuffling through his backpack. As he does so, my phone vibrates. I pull it out and glance at the screen name.

 _S: Secret student council meeting? What are you planning?_

 _A: It's a secret!_

 _S: Hey, come on! I won't tell anybody_

 _A: Ask your friend the secretary, I'm sure he'll know_

 _S: Nah I'd rather harass you_

 _A: How uncool_

 _S: Uncool? You're picking up on my slang now? XD_

"A _hem_." Kid said, turning my attention away from my phone. I had a stupid grin on my face, but Kid wasn't impressed. He frowns at me, making me scrunch my eyebrows.

"What?" I ask, annoyedly.

"I'm trying to talk student council with you, and you're absorbed in your phone!" Kid said accusingly. I click my phone off, having to ignore Soul's text for now. I throw it on the table and put my hands up, showing that I wasn't using it anymore. He shakes his head.

I scoff and roll my eyes. "Sorry I had to explain to my ride why I wasn't there this morning." I said angrily.

"Soul can wait." Kid practically spits. I throw my hands up, aggravated.

"There you go again! Getting so angry with me for talking to Soul!"

"I'm angry because you weren't paying attention to what I was saying!"

I groan, running my hands down my face. "Let's drop it, okay?"

Kid shakes his head, but begins pulling papers from the binder now on the table. I lean forward, examining each paper and putting myself back into my usual mindset.

The day went by much smoother than the day before. No yelling, no crying, and no avoiding. The air between Kid and I would've been much more awkward had Tsubaki and Liz not been there. They kept the conversation going, preventing awkward silences for the most part. Crona was a little oblivious to the situation, and I reminded myself to fill her in later.

Still, I was relieved when the final bell rang. I stood next to Soul's desk, waiting as he packed up his bag. Once on his shoulders, he turns and grins at me. "Let's get going, roomie." He said.

I look at him in confusion, and then I remember. His mother wasn't home, and he would be staying at our house. I've had so much on my mind yesterday with the whole Kid situation that I had completely forgotten. I feel my cheeks redden as he laughs at me.

Once at his bike, he pulls a helmet out of his backpack and hands it to me. "Only one?" I ask, moving the object around in my hands.

Soul shrugs. "Yeah, I'm ordering mine online. There weren't any cool enough for a guy like me." He said with smirk. I roll my eyes and slip the helmet on. I look at Soul, who winks at me and grins. "I like it." He said.

My face was probably beet red. Thankfully, the helmet covered most of my face so he couldn't see it. I laugh and swing onto the bike, Soul sliding in front of me. I wrap my arms around his waist, and we take off.

"I'm gonna go get some stuff at my house really quick, I'll be right back." Soul said, parking the bike in my driveway. I nod and walk to my front door, unlocking it. My mom wasn't home; probably running errands. I walk into the kitchen and pull some food out, knowing Soul was going to be hungry when he got back. I stand awkwardly in the kitchen, waiting for him to return. I shouldn't act so awkward. What do I normally do when I get home? Bring my backpack up to my room?

I sigh and grab my backpack handle, dragging it up the stairs. I can't let myself act strangely around Soul. He picks up on everything, and if he thinks I'm acting even slightly strange he'll call me out on it. I open the door to my room and throw my backpack under my desk, looking around the room. I straighten the accessories on my desk, wondering why Soul still wasn't here yet. He just ran across the street; how much was he grabbing? Did I even leave the door unlocked? No, I'm certain I left the door open for him.

I begin walking out the door when someone yells from the end of the hall. I scream, starting to run for the stairs but tripping over the carpet. I fall flat on my face, my hands over my head as I shake. I hear hysterical laughter, and lift my head to see Soul holding his stomach. He crouches next to me on the floor, patting my head. I look at him angrily, standing from the floor.

"Why the hell would you do that?!" I exclaim angrily. Soul wipes a few tears from his eyes, still chuckling somewhat. I glare at him, and he grins at me.

"Aw c'mon Allie, don't be uncool about it. It was just a joke."

"It wasn't funny! You could've been a murderer for all I know!" I yell, straightening my now rumpled clothes. He was still laughing, and I push past him and start downstairs.

"Allie c'mon." I hear him say from the top of the stairs, but I ignore him. I hear footsteps down the stairs as he pursues me. I walk into the kitchen, my back facing the doorway. The footsteps stop, and I hear him sigh. "Al-"

I grab an apple on the counter and throw it at him before he can continue. His eyes widen and he catches it before it can connect. Damn him and his hand-eye coordination.

"I'll get you back some day." I said, relaxing back on the counter and grinning. He smiles back and takes a large bite from the apple.

"Your first idea of getting back at me was to chuck a fruit at my head?" He asks. I start laughing as he shakes his head, chewing the apple. "I mean, I'd expect some whipped cream prank, maybe some syrup on the floor, _but an apple to the head._ That's a new one." He said, chuckling and shaking his head. I laugh even harder, shrugging.

"I didn't even hear you come in, when did you come in?" I ask, sitting down at the kitchen counter. He sits next to me, still chewing his apple.

"I came in quietly in case you were downstairs, but I heard noise coming from your room. So I snuck upstairs and waited until you came out." He explains. I shake my head.

"Asshole." I mutter, smiling. He gives me a shocked look.

"Name calling is not cool, scaredy cat." He retorts. I chuckle a little, and Soul gives a small smile. He faces me suddenly. "How'd it go with Kid this morning? Did you two talk?" He asks.

I sigh. "It was okay.. I guess. He didn't really offer a good explanation, but we're okay now. Then we worked on some prom stuff." I explain. I couldn't tell Soul the true reason I'd met with Kid this morning. Kid would never talk to me again if I did.

Soul looks annoyed. "He can't just yell at you in front of everybody and not have a reason for it. There's more to it."

"I'm not going to push it, Soul. He felt bad enough, it's better to not hold grudges."

"Well, you do what you want. I don't like the way he treated you. You don't deserve that." He said, staring into my eyes. I look away, a small smile on my lips.

"Let's start homework." I whisper, grateful my voice didn't betray my attempt to sound natural. He groans, but follows me up to my room to work.

I couldn't sleep. I lay staring at the ceiling, willing myself to fall asleep. But, despite my efforts, my body didn't want to rest. I sigh, rolling over and looking at my clock. It was almost 2 am; I had to wake up in 5 hours. But to wake up, one needed to be asleep. And I could not sleep!

I throw my covers off, standing and stretching. I walk out of my room and downstairs to the living room. I sit comfortably on the couch, turning the television on. I lower the volume to prevent awakening my mother and Soul. My eyes glaze over as I stare at the infomercial, my mind more of a television than the screen in front of me.

I'd gone most of my life without being involved in drama. I thought staying out of the crowd and keeping to myself would prevent much hysteria in my life. Yet, the past two weeks have put me through emotional turmoil, what with my feelings towards Soul, my jealously towards Maka, my guilt from the secret I keep from Soul, Kid's outburst, Kid's feelings... Thinking about it all made my head hurt. I hadn't felt this mentally trapped since I was old enough to understand what had become of my father.

He loved you so much, they'd tell me.

He kept a picture of you in his wallet and showed everybody at work, they'd tell me.

Even in his crippling condition, I remember your father getting up and playing with you in the yard, they'd tell me.

Why would they tell me this?! I couldn't remember him! I couldn't remember when we played, or when we did things together! I was a baby, a child who was clueless to what was going on around her. It wasn't until I was around 6 that my mother finally explained to me how sick my father had been, and how he's always watching over us. She'd even taken me to his grave. I know she just wanted me to feel more connected with him, but I didn't sleep for 3 days after that. My mind had prevented me from it, just as it was doing now.

The water trickles out of my left eye before I have a chance to process it. And before I know it, I'm quietly crying on the couch, curled in a ball, wanting everything to go back to how it once was. I've acted so much more childish these past few weeks; blame it on my inability to handle stress.

"Al?" I hear from the stairs. My eyes widen at the sound, and I begin violently wiping my eyes with my hands. He can't see me crying. He can't. But has anything worked in my favor lately?

Soul rounds the corner, peering into the living room. I keep my face hidden. "Oh. Hey." I said, sniffling. He looks confused at first, then concerned.

"What's wrong?" He asks, walking over to me. I scoot over on the couch to make room for him. He sits to my left, resting his hands in his lap. His hair was messy, but his eyes looked wide awake. Either Soul wakes easily, which is not true, or he hadn't been sleeping much tonight either.

"Just having a ro-rough night." I said, wiping my eyes. Despite my efforts, tears continue falling down my cheeks. I sigh, too embarrassed to look in his eyes.

Suddenly, he turns off the TV. He takes my hand in his and pulls me up from the couch. I gasp quietly as he walks me up the stairs and into the guest bedroom. He shuts the door, lets go of my hand, and climbs onto the bed. He looks at me expectantly as he taps the space next to him. I comply, sliding comfortably onto the bed.

He wraps a protective arm around my shoulders, and I lay my head on his shoulder. "You've been so weird lately. Please tell me what's wrong." Despite his pleading words, his tone is demanding.

"I... I can't."

"Yes, you can."

"No..." I said, shutting my eyes. He sighs, but squeezes me tighter. He turns his head.

"Yes." He said. I look up at him, and see his face is determined. He wants an answer.

I sigh and shut my eyes again. Then, suddenly, "I know, you know." My blood goes cold. He knows? What does he know? God, there's so much he can know. I look at him with large eyes, but his gaze is fixed in the wall.

"Wh-what?" I stutter.

"I know. About my mom and what my dad's doing." He said. A part of me sighs in relief, while another constricts to the point of suffocation.

"How?"

He sighs. "I saw a letter."

"Oh, Soul." I said. He sighs, his eyes showing no trace of tears. He shakes his head.

"He's such an awful person, I hope the fu-"

"Soul." I said, sternly. He looks at me, fury in his eyes. I push all feelings I have for him aside, and look at the boy in front of me. My best friend, the one always there for me, the one who always picks me up when I fall, needs that right now.

"It's all going to be okay." I murmur, Soul nods, his eyes glassy.

"Hopefully." He whispers, pulling me closer to him. I look up at his face, seeing that his eyes were shut. His lips resemble somewhat of a small smile. My eyes finally begin to shut, and I fall into a comfortable sleep.

 **Wow! It's been so long since I've updated, I'm so sorry! I was writing a lot of my new fanfiction, Tied Together, and wanted to make some progress with that before I continued writing this one. If you want to check it out, I'd really appreciate it! It's a SoMa fanfiction. Hope you all enjoy this installment of Boy Next Door, thank you for everything!**

 **~Greenybean**


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